ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) — Veteran off-spinner Anisa Mohammed’s career was on Wednesday thrown a lifeline when she was named in an injury-ravaged 13-member squad for a three-match One-Day International (ODI) series against six-time World champions Australia, starting next week Friday.

The Trinidadian, who celebrates her 31st birthday next week, has played 117 ODIs but has not suited up since the Pakistan series in United Arab Emirates back in February, having been dropped for the tour of Ireland and England in May.

Twenty-one-year-old batsman Reniece Boyce, whose only ODI came two years ago, has also been recalled, while selectors have called up uncapped 19-year-old Guyanese medium-pacer Shabika Gajnabi for the first time.

Their presence was triggered by the loss of new-ball seamer Shakera Selman and batsmen Chedean Nation and Shemaine Campbelle — all first choice players — who have been ruled out through injury.

Further, veteran all-rounder Deandra Dottin is still recovering following surgery, and has been sidelined for a second successive tour.

“The panel selected the best available players from the camp in Antigua over the last month, as a result of most of our senior players being unavailable due to injury,” interim chairman of selectors Robert Haynes, said.

“We have included Anisa Mohammed and Kyshona Knight, who have a lot of experience between them, which is required when playing against Australia, the top-ranked women’s team.”

“As a result of the injuries to our senior players, it gave us the opportunity to select two of our younger players in Shabika Gajnabi and Karishma Ramharack to give the captain more options in the bowling department.”

Mohammed’s career looked at an end when she, along with fellow veteran Trinidadian Merissa Aguillera who has since retired, was dropped for the tour of England last April.

It following a domestic championship campaign, where she claimed just nine wickets from five matches in the 50-overs competition and five from as many games in the Twenty20 format.

At the time, Haynes said Mohammed’s performance was not “what we expected”, noting that captain Stafanie Taylor and vice-captain Hayley Matthews could provide the spin options.

Mohammed has taken 146 wickets and is the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the format.

Boyce, meanwhile, played a single ODI during the ICC Women’s World Cup in England but failed to excite and her three T20 Internationals late last year on the tour of New Zealand also brought precious little success.

Gajnabi is also expected to provide a handy batting option down the order for West Indies, her 77 in the CWI Women’s Championship earlier this year proving her worth at the crease.

The first ODI is scheduled for Coolidge Cricket Ground here with the next two games carded for the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium on September 8 and 11. The three matches form part of the ICC Women’s Championship, the qualifier for the 2021 World Cup.

The tour will also include a three-match T20 series at Kensington Oval in Barbados September 14-18.

Squad – Stafanie Taylor (captain), Hayley Matthews (vice-captain), Reniece Boyce, Afy Fletcher, Chinelle Henry, Shamilia Connell, Stacy Ann King, Natasha McLean, Kycia Knight, Kyshona Knight, Anisa Mohammed, Karishma Ramharack, Shabika Gajnabi.