WBBL 07: Shafali Verma and Radha Yadav to represent the Sydney Sixers
Indian cricketers Shafali Verma and Radha Yadav have signed up with the Sydney Sixers ahead of this year's Women's Big Bash League.
Shafali Verma is one of the most exciting openers today and is the number one batter in T20Is. As a 17-year old, Verma has garnered a reputation for her attacking gameplay at the top of the order. Radha Yadav, meanwhile, is a skilful left-arm spinner, averaging a promising 18.03 in T20Is. Yadav currently stands 11th in the ICC T20I bowler's rankings.
India young gun Shafali Verma is set to shake up the Sydney Sixers after signing her first @WBBL deal alongside national teammate Radha Yadav #WBBL07 cricket.com.au/news/shafali-v…
Verma, who could open the batting with Alyssa Healy for the Sydney Sixers, is thoroughly looking forward to the opportunity.
"This is a very good opportunity for me and my goal is to just enjoy myself, to make some new friends and have fun. I want to play WBBL and back myself and just believe in myself," Verma said as quoted by cricket.com.au.
The teen prodigy represented Birmingham Pheonix in The Hundred and had a highly productive tournament. Verma smacked 171 runs in eight games at 24.42, keeping a strike rate of 142.50. She is currently in Australia, gearing up for the Indian team's pink-ball Test.
Sydney Sixers coach excited to have Shafali Verma and Radha Yadav
Ben Sawyers, who worked with Verma in The Hundred, heaped praise on her. Sawyer observed the 17-year old's willingness to get better and hailed her fearlessness and range of shots.
"Shafali is very impressive. She’s such a talent and she’s fearless. She hits to different areas of the field and plays shots that are different to the other three girls in that top four. The experience I had with her in Birmingham was that she wants to learn, she wants to get better and she wants to grow as a player and a person."
Sawyer also remarked that Yadav brings a new dimension to the Sydney Sixers' bowling attack and believes a world-class left-arm spinner will do wonders for them. He spoke of her handy batting skills as well.
"Radha brings a skillset that we have never had at the Sixers and that’s very exciting. I think a left-arm ortho bowler is so important in the WBBL and having one who is world-class is such a great opportunity for this team. She has also batted in the middle of the order for India so she is handy with the bat too."
Earlier, Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma penned a deal with the Sydney Thunder. The Thunder are the current title holders and have the highest number of titles alongside the Sydney Sixers, with both teams winning two trophies apiece. The seventh edition of the WBBL kicks off on the 14th of October.
Shafali Verma smashed unbeaten 76 runs from 42 balls including 9 fours and 2 sixes - added 131 runs for the opening wicket with Evelyn Jones 52*(35) helped Birmingham Phoenix to win by 10 wickets - highest partnership of the Hundred league. https://t.co/dtojIDz520