Current Champion of Women’s Big Bash League Sydney Thunders has added India duo Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma to their squad.
Deepti Sharma will make her debut in the WBBL this year, recognized as one of the premier tournaments for women’s cricket around the globe. Smriti Mandhana will make her 3rd appearance in WBBL, the previous two have been for Hobart Hurricanes (WBBL02) and Brisbane Heat (WBBL04).
Smriti Mandhana impressed everyone after her performance in the 2nd ODI where she scored 86 Runs, India however lost the match by 5 Wickets. Both Smriti and Deepti come in as a replacement for England’s Tammy Beaumont and Heather Knight who had to opt-out of the tournament due to the scheduled England tour of Pakistan, which now stands canceled. It would be interesting to see if any of the England players get a chance to play Weber Women’s Big Bash League this year.
A message from our new recruits! 💭🇮🇳@mandhana_smriti @Deepti_Sharma06 #ThunderNation pic.twitter.com/X1YqLixMOq
— Sydney Thunder (@ThunderBBL) September 26, 2021
“I like that she keeps her game really simple; she just wants to score runs,” Thunder coach Trevor Griffin said of Mandhana.
“While it’s disappointing not to be able to have Heather back if you could choose any replacement for her it would be Deepti – she’s also a star.
“She offers a lot with the bat – Deepti is a match-winner – and she also has the talent to bowl in the powerplay, during the middle of a match, or at the death.”
WBBL|07 squad so far: Rachael Haynes(c), Sam Bates, Hannah Darlington, Corinne Hall, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Anika Learoyd, Phoebe Litchfield, Smriti Mandhana (Ind), Kate Peterson, Olivia Porter, Deepti Sharma (Ind), Lauren Smith, Tahlia Wilson
In: Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, Corinne Hall (Hurricanes)
Out: Rachael Trenaman (Hurricanes), Tammy Beaumont, Heather Knight
WBBL|06 squad members off contract: Saskia Horley, Shabnim Ismail (SA)
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