A flat SEA Games 2025 opener turned worse for the Philippine women’s cricket team as captain Katie Donovan suffered a thumb injury against Myanmar in their Group B - T10 showdown.
The Philippine women’s cricket team entered the SEA Games 2025 in Thailand with big dreams, but their campaign is now met with a huge early speed bump.
What began as a flat start quickly spiraled into a major blow as team captain Katie Donovan exited their opening match with an injury.
Her absence proved critical as Myanmar pulled away for a 45-run win in the Group B – T10 preliminaries on Tuesday, December 9, at the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok.
Head coach Derek Budd confirmed that Donovan had dislocated her left thumb and was immediately rushed to the hospital.
“As early as the third over of the game, she went to take a catch and fractured her left thumb,” Budd shared.
“We just found out that there’s a dislocation that needs to be reset. She needs an operation, and all our thoughts are with her.”
Donovan had been chasing down a long ball when the injury occurred, and without their captain, the Philippines struggled to recover despite the remaining players’ efforts to keep the team afloat.
Myanmar posted 99/5 in 10 overs, while the Philippines only put up with 54/4 in 9.5 overs.
“Losing our captain for the majority of the innings… the girls did really well to stick together, but it’s just a tough one to take,” Budd said.
Despite the setbacks, the Fil-British head coach reminded his players to stay the course: “They have a place in this team for a reason. They are all capable of delivering out there on a cricket pitch.”
[ALSO READ: Philippine women’s cricket team upbeat on SEA Games medal bid amid busy 2025 season]
Team Philippines aims to bounce back against Malaysia on Wednesday, December 10, at 10:00 a.m., as only the top two teams per group will advance to the semifinals, which begin on Thursday, December 11.
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Pao Ambat earned his journalism degree from Cavite State University in 2022.
Passionate about sports from a young age, he primarily covers the NBA for One Sports, while also assisting in reporting on the PVL, PBA, UAAP, and other leagues.