Six Indian Players Drafted for WBBL 2024

The Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) 2024 draft has selected six Indian cricketers, including vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, who was pre-signed by the Adelaide Strikers. Dayalan Hemalatha will make her WBBL debut with the Perth Scorchers, while wicketkeeper Yastika Bhatia joins the Melbourne Stars alongside teammate Deepti Sharma. Shikha Pandey has been picked by the Brisbane Heat, where she will contribute with her all-round skills, and compatriot Jemimah Rodrigues will also play for the Heat. Notably, Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur, along with Richa Ghosh and Shafali Verma, did not enter the draft, raising eyebrows about their absence. The tournament is set to commence on October 27 with a match between the Adelaide Strikers and Brisbane Heat. This draft highlights the growing prominence of Indian talent in global women's cricket.