Athapaththu pens a deal with Northern Brave for NZ T20 League 2023-24

Chamari Athapaththu, who has been in a rich vein of form, has been signed up for the Northern Brave for the 2023-24 women’s Super Smash competition, with the team deeming it “a huge coup”. 

Sri Lanka veteran Athapaththu is competing in the Women’s Australian T20 League for Sydney Thunder, and is currently the second highest run getter in the tournament across franchises with a tally of 451 runs from 12 innings at an impressive average of 45.10 and a healthy strike rate of 134.62, behind only Perth Scorchers’ Beth Mooney, who has amassed 535 runs from 12 innings. 

She said via a statement released by the Northern Districts that she is “super excited” to join the Northern Brave camp. 

“We're excited to get Chamari around the group," Eimear Richardson, the Ireland international who is also the skipper of Northern Brave, said via a statement. "She's been in great form the last few months and is showing her class in the Women’s Aus T20 League currently, so we're excited to add her firepower to our lineup.

"Chamari's all-round abilities will be a great addition to the Super Smash and is sure to excite the crowds with both bat and ball in hand. It will be great to have a player of her abilities on the park with us."

Athapaththu, who is the ninth leading run scorer in women’s T20Is with 2651 runs from 120 innings, has had an unbelievable 2023. She managed to register two centuries in ODIs- 108* and 140* against the White Ferns at home in Galle in June, while she has notched three half centuries in 16 T20Is this year too. Overall she has mounted 3255 runs in ODIs at an average of 34.26 with 8 tons, and 2651 T20I runs at a strike rate of 106.21 with one century.

Besides her prowess as a power hitter, she is a decent off spinner with 68 international wickets to her name. 

Arguably the most famous Sri Lankan woman cricketer, Athapaththu has played in the Women’s WI T20 League, for Guyana Amazon Warriors, as well as for Thunders, Renegades and Scorechers in Women’s Aus T20 League and in FairBreak Invitational T20 tournament. 

We cannot wait to have a world-class player in Chamari join the Northern Brave for this season's Super Smash competition," Ian Sandbrook, general manager of performance and talent at Northern Districts, said. "There's no doubt that her exciting skill set, and destructive x-factor will be a huge addition to our team but just as importantly, to the competition as a whole.

"We also know that Chamari will be a great role model and leader within our environment, and imparting these behaviours on our talented young squad is another important step in making the Northern Brave the best performance environment in the country."

Northern Brave’s NZ T20 League campaign commences on December 22 as part of a double header with the Men’s Brave Team, who will take the field against the Central Districts’ Hinds(women) and Stags (men) at the Seddon Part. Athapaththu will most likely be available for selection from Brave’s second game against Wellington Blaze, scheduled at January 2.