Shafali Verma WBBL 2021-22: Indian opener to represent Sydney Sixers; Radha Yadav set for WBBL debut

Dixit Bhargav | 13/05/2021
Shafali Verma WBBL 2021-22: Indian opener to represent Sydney Sixers; Radha Yadav set for WBBL debut

Shafali Verma WBBL: The hard-hitting Indian batter appears certain to make her debut in the Women’s Big Bash League.

India batter Shafali Verma is all set to represent two-time champions Sydney Sixers in her maiden season of the Women’s Big Bash League later this year.

Verma, 17, will become only the fourth Indian player to play in the WBBL following the likes of Harmanpreet Kaur (Sydney Thunder), Smriti Mandhana (Brisbane Heat) and Veda Krishnamurthy (Hobart Hurricanes).

ALSO WATCH: Shafali Verma hits boundary from behind the stumps in Women’s T20 World Cup 2020

In addition to Verma, 21-year old India all-rounder Radha Yadav will also be playing her first season down under this year. While the franchise which Yadav will represent remain unknown, it is expected to be one out of the two Sydney-based franchises.

Shafali Verma WBBL

Verma, who is the top-ranked batter in MRF Tyres ICC T20I Rankings, has scored 617 runs in 22 T20Is at an average and strike rate of 29.38 and 148.31 respectively. The development was confirmed by Verma’s father in a conversation with ESPNcricinfo.

“Yes, Shafali [Verma] has signed the contract with Sydney Sixers, and given she is a minor, I have had to give my consent, too. I would like to thank the BCCI and Haryana Cricket Association [HCA] for giving my daughter the permission and support to play in the WBBL.

“Without the guidance of the HCA, whatever Shafali is doing in her career wouldn’t have been possible,” Verma’s father Sanjeev Verma was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

At Sixers, Verma will play under illustrious Australia all-rounder Ellyse Perry. Furthermore, a strong possibility of Verma opening the batting with Australia wicket-keeper batter Alyssa Healy is also on the cards. If the same happens, expect the pair to put on display some brisk opening partnerships.

It is worth mentioning that Verma will also be making her debut in the inaugural season of The Hundred in England. Other than the opening pair of Mandhana and Verma, the likes of Deepti Sharma and Jemimah Rodrigues will also be playing in The Hundred.

Post Edited By: Dixit Bhargav
India Radha Yadav Shafali Verma Women's Big Bash League

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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