England’s all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt missed the 1st T20 International (T20I) against Pakistan during the ongoing Pakistan tour of England on 11th May 2024 at Edgbaston. Commenting on Nat’s absence from the series opener, captain of the national side, Heather Knight had informed reporters the decision was taken following a “minor medical procedure.”
Sciver-Brunt elaborated on the reason behind her absence from the 53-run win at Edgbaston during the Under The Lid podcast. The 31-year-old disclosed that she missed the first T20 against Pakistan following egg-freezing treatment.
Nat Sciver-Brunt has been married to former England fast bowler Katherine Sciver-Brunt since May 2022. Katherine now co-hosts the Under The Lid podcast with Jack Brooks, and Nat appeared as a guest.
Nat Sciver-Brunt expressed in the podcast, “Katherine and myself would love to start a family but I’d also love to keep playing cricket.”
She mentioned that they are fortunate to have multiple options and are currently figuring out the best approach for them. Sciver-Brunt also explained that she had only just resumed exercising and wasn’t quite ready to play.
Sciver-Brunt then played in the remaining two T20I matches against Pakistan, with England winning the series comfortably with a 3-0 whitewash. She is expected to play in the ODI series against Pakistan starting on 23rd May.
Meanwhile, egg freezing is a process in which a woman’s eggs (oocytes) are extracted, frozen, and stored so she can have children at a later date.
On the podcast, Sciver-Brunt mentioned that she would like to carry a baby when she finishes playing cricket and thinks Katherine would like to carry a baby as well. She noted that England’s sports science and medical department have been very supportive, helping her smoothly return to cricket. She added that the procedure left her wiped out for several days.
Katherine mentioned that the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is a major motivator for Nat Sciver-Brunt to extend her career rather than taking a break to have a baby as cricket returns to the Games.
“If Nat was 24 she might want to have a child, then come back and play. At 31, it’s on the verge,” stated her partner, Katherine Sciver-Brunt.
Katherine further mentioned that freezing the eggs now provides healthy options for the future, though the process is expensive and invasive.
Katherine had an amazing career, she is England’s all-time leading wicket-taker. She retired in 2023 after a 19-year career.
Katherine, the 38-year-old, then shared her perspective on the fertility journey adding, “When I first started, it never entered my head. It was all about playing cricket. To me, it wasn’t an option to stop playing cricket and do that.
“For Nat and anybody from this point on, they can see that egg-freezing is a great resource to tap into if you want to quit having those worries. There is a timeframe on how fertile you can be. There’s no other way to describe it.”
Further, she mentioned that for aspiring female cricketers looking at potential 10 or 20-year careers, especially considering the financial opportunities available now, egg-freezing might become a viable option.
