Opener Shafali Verma and spinner Radha Yadav became the latest Indian players to be signed up for the upcoming edition Women’s Big Bash League in Australia next month. The duo will play for Sydney Sixers in what will be the first WBBL stint for both.
The announcement comes a day after Sydney Thunder announced the signing of Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma.
“This is a very good opportunity for me and my goal is to just enjoy myself, to make some new friends and have fun,” Verma said was quoted as saying by the Sixers in a release. “I want to play WBBL and back myself and just believe in myself.”
The 17-year-old Verma is the world’s top-ranked T20 batter and has also played Birminghim Phoenix in The Hundred recently, where she worked with Sixers coach Ben Sawyer. The Indian joins a batting lineup consisting of Australian heavyweights Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry and Ash Gardner.
Yadav, 21, adds a left-arm spin option to the Sixers. “Radha brings a skillset that we have never had at the Sixers and that’s very exciting,” coach Sawyer said. “I think a left-arm ortho bowler is so important in the WBBL and having one who is world class is such a great opportunity for this team.
“Lots of young Indian girls want to play in the WBBL. It is a very good standard and I am so happy to be able to play for the Sixers this year,” Yadav said.
There are now four India players confirmed to appear in WBBL07 with more expected to sign up. The Indian team is currently in Australia playing a multi-format series and won the third ODI on Sunday to snap Australia’s historic 26-match winning streak.
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