Smriti Mandhana Joins Adelaide Strikers

Smriti Mandhana has made history as the first Indian player to secure a pre-draft overseas contract for the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL), joining the reigning champions, Adelaide Strikers, for the upcoming season.

Mandhana's stint with the Strikers will mark her fourth team in the WBBL's decade-long history. The left-handed batter has previously played for Brisbane Heat (WBBL 2016-17), Hobart Hurricanes (WBBL 2018-19), and Sydney Thunder (WBBL 2021). Last year, the Indian vice-captain chose to skip the WBBL 2022 to manage her workload and also opted out of the inaugural player draft for the 2023 season, focusing instead on India's domestic circuit.

Mandhana, who is the second player after Ellyse Perry to win two Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Awards, will reunite with head coach Luke Williams, under whom she previously played for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Together, they led RCB to the WPL 2024 title after a fourth-place finish in the league’s inaugural season.

Expressing her excitement, Mandhana mentioned that she always looks forward to playing in Australia and is eager to contribute to a team with a strong winning tradition like the Strikers. She added that she is thrilled to continue working with Williams, noting that their past collaborations have been highly rewarding, and she is looking forward to building on that success.

Williams, who has also coached Mandhana at Southern Brave in The Hundred, praised her as an exceptional talent and expressed his excitement about welcoming her to the Strikers. He highlighted her technical skills, experience, and strategic insights as significant assets for the team, highlighting that her dedication and energy would be invaluable as they strive for success in the upcoming season.

The Strikers will kick off their WBBL 2024 campaign with a home game against Brisbane Heat on October 27, in a rematch of last season's final.

In addition to Mandhana, other Indian players like Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Deepti Sharma have been nominated for the upcoming WBBL draft, scheduled for September 1.