Jemimah Rodrigues will take no further part in the ongoing Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) 11, with Brisbane Heat confirming that the Indian batter will remain in India.
Rodrigues had travelled home 10 days ago, immediately after the Heat’s match against Hobart Hurricanes, as she was scheduled to be involved in Smriti Mandhana’s wedding last weekend. The celebrations were later postponed because of a health issue concerning Mandhana’s father. With the plans altered, Rodrigues chose to stay back to support her teammate, and the Heat agreed to her request.
Brisbane Heat CEO Terry Svenson acknowledged the emotional difficulty Rodrigues has faced. He said, “It has obviously been a challenging time for Jemi, so while it is unfortunate that she will take no further part in the WBBL, we were more than willing to agree to her request to remain in India.’’
Svenson then extended the club’s wishes as he added, “The Heat club obviously wish her and Smriti Mandhana’s family all the best for the future.”
This season was Rodrigues’ second with the Heat after being their number one pick at the International Player Draft. Her 2025 campaign ended after three matches in which she scored 6 against Melbourne Renegades, 11 against Perth Scorchers and 20 against Hobart Hurricanes. She had entered the tournament on the back of a memorable world cup campaign, highlighted by an unbeaten 127 that carried India to a famous semi-final win over Australia and set up their run to the final, where they defeated South Africa by 52 runs.
Over her WBBL journey, Rodrigues has represented three teams. She first played for Melbourne Renegades in 2021, scoring 333 runs from 13 matches. In 2022 she moved to Melbourne Stars, where she managed 44 runs from 5 innings. Since 2024 she has been part of the Brisbane Heat setup, scoring 267 runs from 10 matches in 2024 and 37 runs from 3 matches in 2025.
Meanwhile, the Heat will continue their season without Rodrigues as they look to secure their first win of the tournament. Their most recent outing ended in a dramatic last-ball defeat against the Adelaide Strikers at Karen Rolton Oval on Tuesday. They are set to face the Sydney Sixers tomorrow at the Adelaide Oval in a WBBL double-header.
(Quotes sourced from Brisbane Heat press release)
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