Picture Credit: Twitter/@BCCIWomen
Brisbane Heat on Friday announced the signing of India’s ace leg spinner Poonam Yadav for the upcoming Women’s Big Bash League 2021. Yadav is Heat’s final international signing for the season and is replacing New Zealand’s star spinner Amelia Kerr, who pulled out of the tournament, citing mental health issues.
The Indian leggie has a habit of being a nemesis for the Australian batters as the 30-year-old scalped 4 wickets by giving only 19 runs in the opener of Women’s 2020 T20 World Cup against Australia. Yadav, who will play a foreign T20 League for the first time, is the eighth Indian star to pen a deal in the WBBL 7.
We are clear on how we can best utilize Poonam’s talents in our line-up: Heat’s coach
Brisbane Heat’s Coach Ashley Noffke is excited to have Poonam Yadav in his team and is clear on how to utilize the 30-year-old Yadav. “When we lost Amelia Kerr, we were confident we could back our group to give a good account of themselves regardless but adding Poonam’s skill and her competitiveness is a huge result", Heat coach Ashley Noffke said to cricket.com.au
He added that Yadav is a different type of skilled bowler and the Heat skipper Jess Jonassen is keen to work with her.
“She is a different type of bowler to Melie, and we are clear on how we can best utilise her talents in our line-up. Jess Jonassen has played against her and as captain, she is very keen to work alongside her now she is with the Heat,” Noffke added.
Yadav, who is the final International signing for the Heat this season, will accompany South Africans Anneke Bosch and Nadine de Klerk in their line-up.
Yadav becomes eighth Indian to sign in WBBL 7
The Uttar Pradesh born Poonam Yadav is the eighth Indian to sign a deal for the WBBL 7 after her compatriots, Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma (both Sydney Thunders), Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur (both Melbourne Renegades), Shafali Verma, Radha Yadav (both Sydney Thunders) and Richa Ghosh (Hobart Hurricanes).
With the tournament set to commence from October 14, Cricket Australia announced a landmark decision for the same. For the first time in history, all 59 matches of the tournament will be aired on television. Foxtel, the payment provider, will telecast all the 59 matches of the WBBL 2021, while Channel Seven will broadcast 24 games of the competition.