Sydney Sixers on Monday confirmed the signing of star India opener Shafali Verma and spinner Radha Yadav for the upcoming Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) in Australia next month. Earlier on Sunday, Sydney Thunder confirmed the signing of Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma.
“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.” Shafali Verma said
Radha brings a skill set that we have never had at the Sixers: Ben Sawyer
The 17-year-old Shafali Verma is currently the World No.1 T20I batter. She scored a maiden ODI half-century against Australia on Sunday and helped India to broke Australia’s 26-game win streak. She will join the heavyweights batting order of Sixers with the likes of Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry, and Ashleigh Gardner. Verma also played Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred recently, where she worked with Sixers coach Ben Sawyer.
“Shafali is very impressive. She’s such a talent and she’s fearless. She hits different areas of the field and plays shots that are different from 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 said
Sydney Sixers head coach Sawyer was delighted to add a left-arm orthodox spinner, Radha Yadav to the Sixers mix. They already have three right-arm off-spinners in Ash Gardner, Nicole Bolton, and Erin Burns. Radha Yadav was the joint-highest wicket-taker for India at the 2018 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
“Radha brings a skill set that we have never had at the Sixers and that’s very exciting. I think a left-arm orthodox 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,” Sawyer said.
“Lots of young Indian girls want to play in the WBBL. It is a very good standard and I am so happy to be able to play for the Sixers this year,” said Radha Yadav.