Smriti signs pre draft overseas contract with Adelaide Strikers
Smriti Mandhana has become the first Indian to sign a WBBL pre-draft overseas contract and will join defending champions Adelaide Strikers for the upcoming season. The Strikers will be the fourth team Mandhana will represent in the 10-year history of the competition. The left-hander has previously played for Brisbane Heat (WBBL 2016-17), Hobart Hurricanes (WBBL 2018-19) and Sydney Thunder (WBBL 2021).
The India vice-captain had opted out of WBBL 2022 in view of workload management and then opted out of the inaugural player draft ahead of the 2023 edition, opting to participate in India’s domestic season instead.
Only the second player to win two Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Awards after Ellyse Perry, Mandhana will reunite with Royal Challengers Bangalore and Strikers head coach Luke Williams. The pair led RCB to the WPL 2024 title, with the team finishing fourth in the five-team tournament in its first year.
Smriti Mandhana said, I always look forward to playing in Australia and am excited about the opportunity to contribute to a team with a history of success like the Strikers. I am thrilled to continue working with Luke.
Mandhana and Williams have previously worked together at Southern Brave in The Hundred
Our past experiences have been very rewarding and I look forward to taking it further. Apart from WPL, Mandhana and Williams have previously worked together at Southern Brave in The Hundred. Williams said, Smriti is an exceptional talent and we are thrilled to welcome her to the Strikers. Her technical prowess, experience and strategic insight are a tremendous asset to us.
I know the team and her dedication and energy firsthand. Her expertise and leadership will be invaluable for success in the upcoming season. In a rematch of last season’s final, the Strikers will host Brisbane Heat in the WBBL 2024 curtain raiser on October 27.
Among the first nominations for the upcoming WBBL draft
Apart from Mandhana, India’s Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma are among the first nominations for the upcoming WBBL draft scheduled to be held on September 1. Mandhana opted out of the WBBL 2022 season due to workload management reasons. She also skipped the 2023 season to play in Indian domestic cricket.
The Indian opener will be reuniting with her RCB coach Luke Williams at the Adelaide Strikers. The duo together led RCB Women to their maiden WPL title earlier this season.
Smriti Mandhana secures WBBL deal with Adelaide Strikers
Many other famous Indian women cricketers like Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma will also play in the WBBL 2024. 19 Indian women cricketers have been shortlisted in the WBBL draft, which shows the popularity these cricketers have gained over time with their performances. Players like Kaur, Deepti Sharma and Rodrigues have a chance to be retained by their former franchises as well.
Deepti Sharma in particular has been in the news recently after she led London Spirit to victory in The Hundred 2024 final, finishing the game in style by hitting sixes off the last three balls of the match. While Kaur was part of the Renegades last season, Rodrigues and Sharma last featured in the WBBL with Melbourne Stars in the 2022 season and Sydney Thunder in 2021, respectively.
Women’s Big Bash League to be held in Australia
The Women’s T20 World Cup will be played in October later this year. The tournament will be played in the UAE from October 3-20, with several teams announcing their squads. Defending champions Australia have announced their squad. This time they will be led by Alyssa Healy and have a good mix of young and experienced players. The WBBL will give a good opportunity to local players to hone their T20 skills.
Smriti Mandhana’s Cricket Career
The stylish opener is a two-time ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year award winner, a feat only held by Australia’s Ellyse Perry. In T20 internationals, she has scored 3,493 runs for India at an average of 28.86 and a strike rate of 122.51, including 26 fifties. Her expertise in T20 cricket makes her a valuable asset in the Women’s T20 league circuit.
Earlier this year, under the guidance of coach Luke Williams, Mandhana led Royal Challengers Bangalore to the Women’s Premier League 2024 title. Apart from Mandhana, India’s Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma are among the first nominations for the upcoming WBBL draft to be held on September 1.
Conclusion
Indian opener Smriti Mandhana has become the first Indian woman cricketer to sign a pre-draft overseas contract with the Adelaide Strikers and she will join the defending champions in the upcoming WBBL season.
The Adelaide Strikers will be the fourth WBBL franchise she will represent in 10 years of the competition. She has previously played for the Brisbane Heat (WBBL 2016-17), Hobart Hurricanes (WBBL 2018-19) and Sydney Thunder (WBBL 2021).
