Adelaide Strikers captain Suzie Bates needs shoulder surgery and will miss the rest of the WBBL season.
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The New Zealander's lingering shoulder problem flared last Tuesday against the Melbourne Renegades.
Bates initially injured her right shoulder early last month when playing for New Zealand against Australia.
NZ Cricket is now working through coronavirus protocols for Bates to return home to have surgery.
"We are now working on the logistics around getting her home, through managed isolation and then the medical procedure itself," NZ Cricket's medical manager Dayle Shackel said.
"Any time spent in managed isolation won't have an adverse effect on her shoulder; the injury needs time to settle before being operated on."
The Strikers' medical staff liaised with Cricket NZ over treatment for the 33-year-old Bates, who is uncertain how long she will be sidelined.
"As a cricketer you want to be fit and playing all the time, so to face a decent stint on the sidelines is tough news," Bates said in a statement released by the Strikers.
"For me it's about taking this process one step at a time.
"The first step is a successful surgery. Once that's done, I can then turn my mind to rehabilitation and the ultimate goal of getting back on the park as soon as possible."
The sixth-placed Strikers have four games remaining before finals.
Australian Associated Press
