Ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), England Women all-rounder Freya Kemp expressed her feelings about missing out on the last edition of the mega event, which took place in South Africa.
The Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 will begin at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates on October 3, with the final taking place at Dubai International Stadium on October 20.
“I was gutted to miss out on the World Cup and it was something I had to deal with,” Kemp said as quoted by the ICC.
Kemp asserted that recovery was a tough journey that required mental fortitude and trust.
“It’s very hard, there’s no beating around the bush. It’s very hard to trust your body and I’m just trying to break that cycle. I have to trust it and the people around me,” Kemp said.
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England’s sports science and medicine team has played a key role in Kemp’s resurgence, which has seen her play three ODIs and four T20Is in the 2024 season. Her closely managed workload, which sees Kemp bowl a limited number of deliveries each week, has put the all-rounder on track for the upcoming mega event.
“I’m just thankful for all of the people around me, my family, my friends, my teammates, and all of our support staff. I couldn’t do it without them and they’re in this process with me,” the all-rounder said.
Just one of the two pacers in the squad along with Lauren Bell, Kemp’s job will be to provide initial breakthroughs as a new-ball pacer or as the first change.
The youngster was already preparing for the UAE challenge, with a focus on adapting to the conditions as possible.
“Obviously, Dubai and Sharjah can be quite different as venues. They’re relatively similar but there are differences, so it’s just getting used to those, adapting quickly and assessing and communicating well as a team. We want to play to our strengths and put our own spin on it. I just want to be there when the team needs me and to try to make an impact,” Kemp said.
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(With inputs from ANI)
