The Women’s Premier League has no doubt provided uncountable opportunities to young girls of the country. While the platform has been a breeding ground for teenagers, it has even been a game-changer for players belonging to Associate nations as well.
Scotland’s Sarah Bryce is set to step onto one of the grandest stages in world cricket, becoming only the second Scottish player to feature in India’s Women’s Premier League (WPL).
Sarah Bryce is set to continue her family’s legacy in the WPL, representing the Delhi Capitals in the 2025 season. “I’ve been here with Delhi for about 10 days now, and it’s been a good build-up so far,” said Sarah on being the part of two-time runners-up.
“The most eye-opening experience so far has probably just been the number of people involved, whether that’s the support staff, or the net bowlers that are helping out – it’s like we have three people covering the role that one person would normally have!
There’s also been a lot of media shoots and appearances, which has been fun, but it’s also been very busy and hectic – I think I’m quite a patient person, which has been important, and when I’m at training, I’m able to switch off from the other stuff and just enjoy cricket, because that’s where I feel most at home.”
Scotland’s wicketkeeper has plenty of experience in franchise cricket, having played in The Hundred since its launch and later making a significant impact for the Sydney Sixers in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) in late 2024.
In the WBBL, Bryce scored 169 runs in 10 matches with a decent strike rate of 123.35. In Women’s Hundred season of 2024, she scored 116 runs in 7 innings while in 2023, the batter was in sublime touch. The 25-year old notched up runs in great fashion while averaging 58.50.
The Delhi Capitals comprise of a star-studded lineup featuring Indian standouts Rodrigues and Shafali Verma, along with international talents such as Alice Capsey, Meg Lanning, Annabel Sutherland, Jess Jonassen, and Marizanne Kapp.
The cricketer expressed her excitement about playing in India, calling it a bucket-list experience and looking forward to the energy of the crowds.
“I’ve obviously seen it on TV and heard from Kathryn and others that it’s like nowhere else, so I think that’s what I’m most looking forward to, just getting to experience that, whilst also playing with world class players, and just trying to learn as much as I can.”
Her sister Kathryn Bryce played for the Gujarat Giants in the 2024 WPL and scored 83 runs in 8 innings, being an allrounder – she scalped 4 wickets in 8 matches. The 22-year-old won the ICC’s Associate Women’s Player of the Decade award for 2011-2020, despite the fact that she only debuted in T20Is in 2018.
A hard-hitting cricketer with a reputation, Kathryn has been consistent in her improvement as a batter. In 2020, she captained Lightning in the inaugural Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, where she finished as the second-highest wicket-taker in the competition.
As per the rules, teams are allowed to play five overseas players, pertaining to the fact that the fifth player represents an Associate nation. The United States’ pacer Tara Norris became the first player from an Associate nation to be picked in WPL 2023.
(Quotes sourced from Cricket Scotland media release)
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