NZ’s Molly Penfold Ruled Out for Remainder of the Season with Knee Injury
New Zealand women's pace bowler Molly Penfold has been ruled out for the remainder of the home summer after sustaining a torn meniscus in her left knee, the New Zealand Cricket (NZC) announced on Thursday.
Auckland: New Zealand women’s pace bowler Molly Penfold has been ruled out for the remainder of the home summer after sustaining a torn meniscus in her left knee, the New Zealand Cricket (NZC) announced on Thursday.
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Injury and Recovery Timeline
Penfold, 23, injured her knee while warming up ahead of the Auckland Hearts HBJ Shield fixture earlier this month. Following the injury, she underwent surgery last week and is expected to return to full fitness in eight to twelve weeks. This means she will miss the remainder of the HBJ Shield as well as the upcoming series against Sri Lanka and Australia.
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Penfold’s Career Achievements
Penfold has made significant contributions for New Zealand, with nine wickets in 14 ODIs and seven wickets in 10 T20Is. One of her standout performances came during the ODI series against Australia last December, where she took a career-best 4-42 in the second match at the Basin Reserve.
Disappointment for the White Ferns
White Ferns head coach Ben Sawyer expressed his disappointment over Penfold’s injury. “We’re all gutted for Molly. It’s a really unfortunate way for her summer to end, especially after strong contributions during the Rose Bowl series,” he said. However, Sawyer also remained optimistic, noting that Penfold’s recovery timeline should see her fit for the winter training schedule.
Upcoming Fixtures for New Zealand Women
New Zealand’s women’s team will play three ODIs and three T20Is against Sri Lanka next month, followed by three T20Is against Australia. Penfold’s absence will be felt during these matches as the team looks to adjust to her unavailability.
Sophie Devine Also Missing
In addition to Penfold, Sophie Devine will also miss the Sri Lanka series. Devine is currently prioritizing her well-being and has withdrawn from the Super Smash and the 2025 Women’s Premier League following professional advice.
Devine played a pivotal role in New Zealand’s victory at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in October 2023. She is close to reaching a significant milestone, having scored 3990 runs in Women’s ODIs, with an average of 31.66 in 50-over international cricket.
Devine, a key player in RCB’s title-winning campaign in 2024, has been retained for the 2025 Women’s Premier League auction. In the 2024 season, she scored 136 runs and took six wickets in 10 matches. Following her withdrawal from the WPL 2025, RCB has signed Heather Graham as her replacement.
