Australian cricket captain Alyssa Healy has been ruled out of the team’s clash against rivals England in the Women’s World Cup due to a calf strain. Healy suffered a minor strain in training on Saturday and is fighting to return in time for Australia’s last round game against South Africa this Saturday.

Healy’s injury comes as a massive blow to the Australian side as she has captained the team for over a year and played 116 ODIs since her debut 15 years ago.

The injury has come at a terrible time for Healy as she was seen as one of the most in-form players of the World Cup so far, scoring 142 and 113 in her previous two games against India and Bangladesh. Healy is currently the tournament’s highest run scorer with 294, with an impressive average of 98.

Australian Coach Shelley Nitschke has said how devastating the news is that they are without their skipper, but she has focused on the positives. She said in a press conference, “We talk about our depth a bit, and that’s going to be tested, it’s going to provide some opportunities for others to step up into some role”.

“We’re just going to keep assessing her day by day, and give her every opportunity to play the next game against South Africa, and then just see how that plays out with the rehab… but just keep assessing it and hopefully, she gets up,” she said.

Beth Mooney will take over the wicketkeeping duties held by Healy, and it is expected that 23-year-old Georgia Voll will come into the 11. Voll made her ODI debut against India last year and scored a century in just her second game.

The top four teams of the tournament will advance to the semi-finals, and both Australia and England are sitting second and third, respectively and are on four wins from five games. Australia have already qualified for the finals, and it is expected that the winner of tonight’s clash will finish top of the table.

Tahlia McGrath will captain Australia in the absence of Healy.

The World Cup final will take place on 2 November. The tournament is being hosted jointly by India and Sri Lanka, and there is yet to be a location confirmed for the final.