Mahika Gaur set to miss UAE homecoming at T20 World Cup despite England recall

Mahika Gaur looks set to miss out on playing at a home World Cup despite being recalled to England’s T20 side after injury. The 18-year-old fast-bowler was sidelined for the majority of the English summer by a side strain. It meant she missed England’s programme of home internationals against Pakistan and New Zealand, as well as the Hundred tournament. On Tuesday morning she was named in their squad for their fixtures against Ireland in Dublin next month. The matches will be followed two weeks later by the Women’s T20 World Cup, which is set to be played in Sharjah and Dubai – Gaur’s home city – in October. The UAE team just missed out on playing at the World Cup when they were beaten by Sri Lanka in the decisive match at the Qualifier in Abu Dhabi earlier this year. However, it had seemed as if they might yet have one of their own involved . Gaur first learnt to play cricket at the ICC Academy, just across Sports City from the Dubai International Stadium, which will host matches at the World Cup. She quickly became an established part of the UAE set up in her early teens, and played 19 T20 internationals for the senior team. She was talent spotted by Lancashire’s coaches at a pop-up coaching clinic at Dubai Expo 2020. It led to her being offered the chance to join their set up , as well as a scholarship at boarding school in the UK. Having been born in Reading, the towering left-arm pace bowler was immediately eligible for England , and made her debut, amid a decent amount of fanfare, in August 2023. Her time in the limelight has been limited since by her A level studies as well as injury, and that has counted against her in her bid to make the World Cup. The former Dubai College student was named in an experimental England squad for the two matches against Ireland in Dublin on September 14 and 15. The team will be captained by Kate Cross, her county teammate who was integral to bringing Gaur to England and who presented her with her England cap ahead of her debut. Thirty minutes after that squad was announced, England confirmed their contingent for the trip to the UAE, with Gaur’s name absent. The matches against Ireland will at least give Gaur the chance to prove her form and fitness, and potentially put herself in line to be a reserve ahead of the World Cup. However, England have specified that Lauren Filer, another fast bowler, will be accompanying the side in their training camp in Abu Dhabi ahead of the tournament. “Selecting teams and squads with this group of players has become incredibly tricky and tough,” Jon Lewis, the England coach, said. “There are players who have been really unfortunate to miss out and they’ll be a big part of what we do with England cricket in the future. “I feel the 15 players selected give us a really well balanced squad in terms of experience, youth and most importantly the skills to cope and excel in the conditions we feel we will be faced with in the UAE.” Kate Cross (captain), Georgia Adams, Hollie Armitage, Hannah Baker, Tammy Beaumont, Mahika Gaur, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Charis Pavely, Paige Scholfield, Seren Smale, Bryony Smith, Mady Villiers, Issy Wong Heather Knight (captain), Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith, Danni Wyatt Saturday 5 October, Bangladesh v England, Sharjah Monday 7 October, England v South Africa, Sharjah Sunday 13 October, England v Scotland, Sharjah Tuesday 15 October, England v West Indies, Dubai Thursday 17 October, Semi-final 1, Dubai Friday 18 October, Semi-final 2, Sharjah Sunday 20 October, Final, Dubai

Mahika Gaur set to miss UAE homecoming at T20 World Cup despite England recall

Fast-bowler is named in England’s T20 squad to face Ireland but omitted from trip to World Cup that follows