Top 5 women's cricketers nominated in the BBL draft ft. Deepti Sharma
Cricket Australia have unveiled a list of 161 cricketers nominated for the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) overseas draft, scheduled for September 1. Hobart Hurricanes will have the No. 1 pick, while Perth Scorchers have the last pick.
All eight sides have announced the pre-signing of one overseas player ahead of the draft. Smriti Mandhana (Adelaide Strikers), Nadine de Klerk (Brisbane Heat), Lizelle Lee (Hobart Hurricanes), Hayley Matthews (Melbourne Renegades), Marizanne Kapp (Melbourne Stars), Sophie Devine (Perth Scorchers), Amelia Kerr (Sydney Sixers) and Chamari Athapaththu (Sydney Thunder) have been drafted. This new mechanism was introduced to enable the franchises to sign players on a multi-year basis.
On top of pre-signing an overseas player, a franchise needs to draft at least two more overseas players. Furthermore, clubs need to nominate the pre-signed players into any of the four rounds - Platinum, Platinum & Gold, Gold & Silver, and Silver & Bronze during the draft. A club can sign four overseas players, with only three allowed in the playing XI.
Moreover, each club is also entitled to retain one player, who they signed last season. With much excitement around the draft, let's take a look at the five best players nominated for the WBBL draft.
#5 Chloe Tryon
The talented South African all-rounder will be available for the entirety of the tournament and will be a quality pick. Since making her T20I debut in 2010, Chloe has 1,145 runs and 35 wickets in 99 T20Is.
Earlier this month, Chloe returned with knocks of 47* and 55 for Southern Brave in The Hundred and took 4/31 for Warriors in her first CPL 2024 appearance.
Chloe has featured for three teams in the Women's Big Bash League and garnered 786 runs at a strike rate of 130.83, with a best knock of 46*. She also has 17 wickets at an economy of 7.32.
#4 Heather Knight
The reliable run-scorer has been tasked with leading the England side in the women's T20 World Cup later this year. Ahead of the showpiece event, Heather has been delivering well in the international circuit and other franchise leagues.
In The Hundred 2024, the right-hander emerged as the second-best batter with 271 runs in 10 innings at an average of 45.16 and a strike rate of 137.56 for the champion London Spirit team. She registered a best knock of 65* off 31 against Southern Brave.
Interestingly, Heather holds a plethora of experience in the WBBL, with 2,083 runs and 54 wickets in 85 appearances. She also has the chance of getting retained by her previous franchise, Sydney Thunder.
#3 Harmanpreet Kaur
India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has been one of the finest performers across all formats in recent years. Her fighting spirit and hunger to contribute in both departments have been a boon to the Indian side. With 3,426 runs and 32 wickets in 173 T20Is, Harmanpreet is a key player for any of the eight teams.
Besides, Harmanpreet has been successful in the WBBL as well. In 62 games, she has scored 1,440 runs at an average of 37.89, with 81* as the top knock. She has also picked up 36 wickets, with the best figures of 4/27. Notably, she was awarded Big Bash League Player of the Tournament for her contribution of 399 runs and 15 wickets in the 2021 season.
Harmanpreet can also be retained by the Melbourne Renegades, whom she played for last season.
#2 Shabnim Ismail
The experienced Proteas pacer is likely to get much attention if she isn't retained by Hobart Hurricanes. This is because of her impressive track record in the shortest format, whether in internationals or T20 leagues. For South Africa, Shabnim has scalped 123 wickets in 113 T20I appearances at a terrific economy of 5.77.
In The Hundred 2024, Shabnim picked up five wickets in as many games at a commendable economy of 6.07 and an average of 17.20. In terms of her WBBL performances, the right-arm pacer has 51 wickets in 58 games at an economy of 6.06.
#1 Deepti Sharma
Deepti Sharma ranks as the top pick for this year's overseas draft due to her rising stature in world cricket. The bowling all-rounder has found ways to contribute for her teams and win games for them in any situation.
The Asia Cup 2024 witnessed Deepti emerge as the finest bowler in the competition with 10 wickets in five games. Then, she played a key role in helping the London Spirit lift their maiden Women's Hundred title, by contributing 212 runs and eight wickets in eight games. In fact, she hit the winning six to clinch a thrilling victory for the franchise.
In 13 WBBL games, Deepti has 211 runs at an average of 35.11 and picked 13 wickets at an economy of 7.15. With consistent form and a strong pedigree in T20, Deepti is expected to be the best for any team in the WBBL.