Young Indian cricketer, Richa Ghosh has been signed by Hobart Hurricanes for the upcoming seventh season of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL).
Ghosh, 18, a middle order batter will make her debut at the T20 league this year.
Ghosh made her international debut for India at last year’s Tri-National Women’s T20 series in the lead up to the ICC T20 World Cup, before going on to represent her country in the prestigious tournament itself, in which India were eventual runners-up.
With a T20I strike rate in excess of 100, Ghosh also made her One-Day International debut on Australian soil last month, as a part of India’s multi-format Australian tour.
“I’m very excited to be playing in the WBBL this year. I’m very thankful to the Hurricanes for this opportunity, and I’m looking forward to coming to Tasmania and meeting up with my new teammates,” she said on the development.
Ghosh willjoin the Hobart-based team after the conclusion of the ongoing series between India and hosts Australia.
Ghosh has been named in the place of Lizelle Lee, who recently withdrew from the tournament, citing the need to take an indefinite break from cricket after countless overseas tournaments, bubbles and quarantine requirements.
Earlier on Monday, India’s young batting sensation Shafali Verma and left-arm spinner Radha Yadav were acquired by Sydney Sixers for the upcoming season of the WBBL.
Shafali, India’s youngest debutant in international cricket, had come up with stunning performances in Australia last year during the T20 World Cup and recently featured for Birminghim Phoenix in inaugural edition of The Hundred in Englnad.
On Sunday, she once again starred with the bat for India with a match-winning 56-run knock as as India upset the might Australian team, snapping a 26-game win streak.
Earlier in June this year, Verma, a right-handed batswoman had became the youngest player, male or female, to represent India in all three formats of international cricket. She later featured in The Hundred under Sixers’ Head Coach Ben Sawyer.
On the other hand, Yadav was one of the discoveries of the 2018 ICC Women’s World Twenty20, finishing as the joint-leading wicket-taker for India in the tournament.
Notably, the Sydney Sixers will kick-off their WBBL 07 campaign in the season opener against the Melbourne Stars on Thursday, October 14 in Hobart.
Another Indian duo of Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma were on Sunday signed as replacement players by Sydney Thunder for the upcoming season after the English duo of Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont was unavailable for the upcoming edition of the WBBL.
While Mandhana had previously featured for Brisbane Heat and Hobart Hurricanes in the WBBL, Deepti will make her debut in the league.