6 Indian players including Jemima Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma have been selected in the overseas draft of Women’s Big Bash League 2024. Jemima Rodrigues and Shikha Pandey will play for Brisbane Heat. At the same time, all-rounder Deepti Sharma will be seen playing for Melbourne Stars. Earlier, Smriti Mandhana was selected by defending champions Adelaide Strikers as a pre-draft overseas player. Jemima, Jonason and Shikha will also be seen playing for a team in WBBL
After Women’s Premier League and Women’s Caribbean League, Jemima Rodrigues, Jess Jonason and Shikha Pandey will also be seen playing for a team in the Women’s Big Bash League. All three players have been added by Brisbane Heat for this season. All three players have played for Delhi Capitals in WPL and Trinbago Knight Riders in WCPL. Smriti Mandhana will play for the defending champions
Indian opener Smriti Mandhana will be seen playing for defending champions Adelaide Strikers in this season of the Women’s Big Bash League. She has signed a pre-draft overseason contract with the franchise. She has become the first Indian player to do so. Apart from Mandhana, captain Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemima Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma have also been included in the draft. 28-year-old Mandhana will be seen playing for the fourth team in the 10-year history of the league. Earlier, Mandhana has been a part of Brisbane Heat in 2016, Hobart Hurricanes in 2018-19, Sydney Thunders in 2021. India’s vice-captain Mandhana was not a part of this league in 2023. She had decided not to participate in the league due to workload management and domestic cricket. The current season of the league is starting from September 1. Kate Cross and Lauren Filler included in the Women’s Draft
England’s Kate Cross and Lauren Filler are both available for the entire season for the Women’s Draft. South African fast bowler Shabnam Ismail, who could be retained by the Hobart Hurricanes. Players from 30 different countries were called for this year’s BBL Draft. It also includes players from emerging cricket nations such as Hong Kong, Uganda, Japan, Greece, Indonesia and Romania. The draft also sees the return of several Big Bash icons. Haris Rauf, who could be retained by the Melbourne Stars. He has been nominated for 6-9 games plus the finals. His previous stint with the Stars was excellent. He won many matches for the Melbourne Stars.
