Offspinner Jess Jonassen has been ruled out of the women’s World Cup in India, with Australian selectors rushing WA allrounder Renee Chappell into the squad.
Jonassen has not recovered from recent knee surgery and was unable to prove her fitness before this week’s Twenty20 series against New Zealand, the squad’s final tune-up before they depart for the subcontinent.
The International Cricket Council has approved the late change to Australia’s squad.
Chappell, 29, claimed 1-23 in her debut for the Southern Stars in Tuesday’s game one of the three-match T20 series against New Zealand in Melbourne.
Australia lost the opening clash in Tuesday’s double-header but triumphed in game two to square the series ahead of Thursday’s decider at Melbourne’s Junction Oval.
Opener Meg Lanning, with scores of 76 and 64, was in great touch for the home side.
Australia’s 7-151 in game one was overhauled by New Zealand (4-152) with two balls to spare.
In game two, Sarah Coyte (nine not out) hit a boundary to fine leg on the fifth ball of the 20th over as Australia reached 5-135 chasing New Zealand’s 6-132.
Australia start their World Cup campaign with two warm-up fixtures in Mumbai before taking on Pakistan on January 31.