Taylor misses rest of India series

GROS ISLET, St Lucia (CMC):

Injury has ruled captain Stafanie Taylor out of the remainder of the Twenty20 (T20) series against India, dealing a serious blow to the Windies’ chances of making a comeback in the five-match rubber.

Cricket West Indies said yesterday that Taylor had sustained a grade-one medial collateral ligament sprain during the third One-Day International against the Indians last Thursday and would require a two-week recovery period.

Taylor, who struck two half-centuries in the three-match one-day series, sat out Saturday’s opening T20 International here, which the Windies lost by 84 runs at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground.

“It is very disappointing to lose Stafanie at this crucial time, and she will no doubt be missed, but her health and recovery are of utmost importance,” chief selector Anne Browne-John said.

“We have the ICC T20 World Cup in a few months, and it is critical that Stafanie gets the time to recover and return to full fitness.”

Veteran off-spinner Anisa Mohammed, who led the Windies in Saturday’s T20 opener, will continue as captain for the remainder of the series with Shemaine Campbelle as her deputy.

The 28-year-old Taylor has been replaced by uncapped 20-year-old fast-bowling all-rounder Cherry-Ann Fraser from Guyana.

Browne-John said the move would further accelerate Fraser’s development.

“Cherry-Ann Fraser is a young Guyanese all-rounder who was in the last camp, and we were impressed by her performance,” Browne-John said.

“Therefore, having her join the team now will get her that experience to further her development.”

The Windies and India clash in the second T20 International here Sunday, starting at 1:30 p.m.