England all-rounder Freya Kemp has been ruled out of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup in South Africa in February due to a stress fracture in her back, according to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Kemp, who is 17 years old, had traveled with the squad to the Caribbean but returned home early after experiencing back pain. She missed the entire three-match ODI series in the West Indies, which England won 3-0.
Scans revealed that Kemp had sustained the stress fracture, and she will now begin rehabilitation with the England and Southern Vipers medical teams. The ECB released a statement saying, "Kemp will not be available for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup in February 2023. She will now begin rehabilitation working together with the England and Southern Vipers medical teams."
Kemp's injury is a blow to England's chances at the T20 World Cup. The all-rounder has been a key player for the team, with her left-arm quick bowling and late-order batting making her a valuable asset on the field. In her nine T20Is, she has taken eight wickets at an average of 18.62 and an economy rate of just over seven runs per over. She made her T20I debut earlier this year and became the second-youngest women's player to score a half-century for England in September, with an unbeaten 51 off 37 balls against India.
The stress fracture in Kemp's back will require her to undergo rehabilitation, and it is unclear at this time how long her recovery will take. It is a disappointment for Kemp herself, who will now have to miss the chance to compete in the T20 World Cup. It is also a setback for the England team, who will have to find a way to replace Kemp's contributions on the field. The team is currently playing West Indies in a five-match T20I series and has won both of the T20Is played so far. However, they will have to continue their success without Kemp as they look to prepare for the T20 World Cup.
The T20 World Cup is an important event for the England team, as they look to improve upon their performance at the last edition of the tournament. In 2020, they were knocked out in the semi-finals by eventual champions Australia. England will be hoping to go one step further this time around and bring home the trophy. Without Kemp, they will have to rely on the rest of their squad to step up and fill the void left by the all-rounder. It will be a tough challenge, but one that the team is more than capable of rising to.