Brisbane, Oct 31 (IANS) After being a part of India’s 3-0 ODI series win over Zimbabwe in Vadodara, wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia will link up with Brisbane Heat squad and is set to make her debut for the club against Sydney Thunder at the Drummoyne Oval in the ongoing Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL).
Yastika being with the India ODI side, though she bagged a duck in the third and final game against Zimbabwe at the BCA Stadium, meant she wasn’t available for the Heat’s season opener against the Sydney Sixers at Allan Border Field on Friday night.
The Sixers won that game off the last ball after Australia left-arm pacer Lucy Hamilton bowled a superb final over. Yastika replaces Mikayla Wrigley in the Heat’s only change to the 13-member squad from that game starting at 2:40pm local time.
Yastika was signed up by the club after veteran Australia left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Jess Jonassen was ruled out of the season with a neck injury. Yastika has played 28 T20Is and 29 ODIs for India so far. In July, she became the first woman to score a Test hundred at Lord’s, which is currently the high point of her international career.
The left-handed batter is no stranger to the WBBL, having played for the Melbourne Stars in the WBBL two seasons ago. Apart from Yastika, England’s Sarah Glenn and Ireland’s Orla Prendergast are the Heat’s overseas recruits for the ongoing WBBL season.
Another player in line for a Heat debut is 19-year-old fast bowler Catherine White. She was with the franchise last season as a local replacement player but did not play a match, and will make her WBBL debut if she is picked in the playing eleven.
WBBL Brisbane Heat Squad: Georgia Redmayne (c), Lily Bassingthwaighte, Yastika Bhatia (India), Lucy Bourke, Sianna Ginger, Sarah Glenn (England), Lucy Hamilton, Grace Harris, Charli Knott, Annie O’Neil, Orla Prendergast (Ireland), Aya Stafford (Local Replacement Player) and Catherine White
–IANS
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