Tayla Vlaeminck inches closer to eagerly anticipated return to international cricket

Speedster Tayla Vlaeminck looks poised to mark her return to competitive cricket after a long injury layoff, which saw her spend a year-and-a-half on the sidelines. 

Vlaeminck, 27, will feature in the Green vs Gold match next week which will witness some proven domestic performers square off against players who are trying to come up the ranks in the circuit.

The right-arm speedster is set to play for the Green outfit, who will be led by Brisbane Heat's star player Charli Knott. New South Wales' recently crowned Player of the Year, Katie Mack will captain the Gold side.

Vlaeminck had dislocated her bowling shoulder during Australia's T20 World Cup fixture against Pakistan in Dubai on October 11, 2024. The horrid event unfolded on just the fourth ball of the game when Vlaeminck, who was stationed at short third slid to prevent an outside edge off Muneeba Ali's willow to going past the fence. 

The express pacer put in a dive but her knee got jammed in the outfield as she landed awkwardly on her right shoulder and dislocated it.

Vlaeminck grimaced in pain and clutched her right shoulder as Australia's medical staff rushed to her allay her agony. Her shoulder was relocated but required a lengthy time away from the game to recuperate and regain bowling fitness.

She was initially expected to feature in the WBBL but her rehab took a longer than expected turn and she was denied the opportunity.

This was not the solitary injury sustained by the right-arm pacer, as her career has been married with several telling blows.

"When you're coming back from a long-term rehab, the rest of the body has to get used to training as well, so there's been a few little hiccups here and there, which is pretty common and has been the whole way through my career," Vlaeminck said recently at the launch of the 2026-27 schedule, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo

"I'm feeling really good now, and just loving being back out there in the nets and getting out of the gym, which has been really good. I haven't played cricket in almost 16 months now, so just to get back out there, it's just really exciting ... I've been watching cricket for a long time now, and the more you watch it, and the closer you get to playing, the more you realise how much you miss it."