WHITE FERNS off-spinner Eden Carson will undergo surgery on her right elbow today and is expected to require six months of rehabilitation before returning to play.
Carson sustained a partial ligament rupture in her elbow during the team’s training camp in Dubai ahead of the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup and managed the injury throughout the tournament.
The recovery timeline means she will not be available for the remainder of the home summer nor the WHITE FERNS title-defence at the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
With the injury affecting her bowling arm, head coach Ben Sawyer said they had opted for surgery now to prioritise her long-term future.
“We’re all really gutted for Eden,” said Sawyer.
“The team has a big six months ahead and I know how difficult it was for her to make the decision to go through with the surgery now, but I fully support it.
“It'll obviously be a huge loss for the team not having Eden available, especially for the T20 World Cup where she played a big role for us last year.
“At just 24-years-old she’s still got a long career ahead so it’s important we look forward and prioritise getting her back on the park and fully fit.”
The WHITE FERNS will host Zimbabwe in February and March 2026 for three T20Is and three ODIs across Hamilton, Wellington and Dunedin.
