On September 3, the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) had its first foreign draft, during which some of the biggest names were selected and others were passed over. Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur was the only Indian selected in the WBBL draft since opener Smriti Mandhana withdrew to concentrate on the domestic season.
In the 2023–24 season, Harmanpreet, the WBBL 07 player of the year, will rejoin the Melbourne Renegades squad. Big names like Chamari Athapaththu, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Deandra Dottin didn't find any takers, but a direct nomination is scheduled for Monday.
Harmanpreet, who received a platinum rating, and West Indian Hayley Matthews were kept on by the Renegades. During the 2021–22 season, Harmanpreet put up an outstanding performance for the Renegades, amassing 406 runs in 12 innings at an average of 58.00 and a strike rate of 130.96, including three half-centuries and a top score of 81 not out. She was equally successful with the ball, finishing with a high mark of 3 for 22 and 15 wickets at an economy of 7.45.
Here is how the women’s draft stood:
South African all-rounder Marizanne Kapp was the first to find a place among those chosen, selected by Sydney Thunder, while Perth Scorchers kept their captain Sophie Devine. Amelia Kerr of New Zealand will once again play for Brisbane Heat, while Heather Knight of England will represent Thunder.
After missing the previous season, Harry Brook and Haris Rauf will both play for the Stars in the BBL. Rauf will be back for the Men in Green, but Brook, who previously played for the Hurricanes, will make his Glenn Maxwell-led team debut. Stars initially tried to sign Rashid Khan, but they had to settle for Pakistani spinner Usama Mir instead.
