Smriti Mandhana to return to WBBL after two years | courtesy of Sydney Thunders
KEY POINTS
- Smriti Mandhana to return to WBBL in 2024-25
- Mandhana will play the league after two years
- Mandhana will have a fourth different team in the WPL
Indian vice-captain Smriti Mandhana to return to Australia Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) in the 2024 season after being signed by the Adelaide Strikers for the tenth edition. The 28-year-old will meet with Bengaluru Real ChallengersRCB Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024 title-winning coach Luke Williams.
This will be the third team in three different countries that Mandhana will play for a team coached by Williams. Apart from his captain-coach duo at RCB, the Indian star also played for Southern Brave in the Hundred League, which is coached by Williams.
It was widely reported that Mandhana played a key role in RCB appointing Williams as their head coach ahead of the 2024 WPL after a disastrous 2023 campaign.
Smriti Mandhana creates history
Mandhana has been signed by the Strikers as their overseas pick ahead of the WBBL draft on September 1. The WPL 2024-winning captain is the first Indian to sign an overseas contract ahead of the WBBL draft.
For those unaware, the rule has been introduced for the first time ahead of the 2024 season, in both the men’s and women’s competitions. This allows teams to sign one foreign player on a maximum of three-year contracts ahead of the draft. The other 7 WBBL teams have signed Nadine de Klerk, Lizelle Lee, Hayley Matthews, Marizanne Kapp, Sophie Devine, Amelia Kerr and Chamari Athapaththu.
Meanwhile, a total of 19 Indians have nominated themselves to be part of Sunday’s draft.
The WBBL 2024 is set to begin on October 27, just a week after the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup concludes in the United Arab Emirates. The star Indian opener might miss the start of the tournament as the Women in Blue are scheduled to play an ODI series against New Zealand.
Mandhana will join the Strikers, who have won the last two titles, having lifted the trophy for the first time in 2022-23 and defended the title in 2023-24.
It is also worth noting that Mandhana will become the first Indian to play for four WBBL teams, having previously played for Brisbane Heat (2016/17), Hobart Hurricanes (2018/19) and Sydney Thunder (2021/22).
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this post is for general information purposes only. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the post for any purpose.
We respect the intellectual property rights of content creators. If you are the owner of any material featured on our website and have concerns about its use, please contact us. We are committed to addressing any copyright issues promptly and will remove any material within 2 days of receiving a request from the rightful owner.