Indian Cricket Star Smriti Mandhana Becomes the First Indian Cricketer to Sign the Pre-Draft Overseas Contract for the Women's Aus-T20 League 2024

In a recent history-making feat, the Indian vice-captain, Smriti Mandhana, has become the first cricketer from India to secure a pre-draft overseas contract for the Women's Aus-T20  League. Mandhana will join the reigning Women's Aus-T20 League champions, the Adelaide Strikers, in whatever capacity she serves them in 2024.

This will be a fourth different Women's Aus-T20 League team for Mandhana, who has already represented Brisbane Heat, Hobart Hurricanes, and Sydney Thunder. One of the most dynamic left-handed openers in the world had opted out of the 2022 and 2023 Women's Aus-T20 League seasons to focus on India's domestic commitments but is set to return to the premier Australian T20 league.

The transfer of Mandhana to the Strikers will make the opening batter team up again with her  BLR coach, Luke Williams, who is the head coach of the Adelaide franchise as well. This is a successful combination that helped BLR win the Women's Ind-T20 League title of 2024 after a disastrous first season.

She said, "I always look forward to playing in Australia, and I'm very excited for the opportunity to contribute towards the team's success, a team which has had its own success stories since the start of the tournament. I am excited about working with Luke again. Our past experiences have been nothing but great and I am sure this one is going to be the same."

Williams said that he was "thrilled" to secure the services of Mandhana, an "exceptional talent" whose "technical skill, experience and strategic insights are a tremendous asset to the Strikers".

Her signing is supported by a few other Indian stars who also put their names in the draft that will take place on September 1: Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Deepti Sharma. It is a great sign that the Women's Aus-T20 League is gaining momentum both in popularity and strength, and Mandhana's addition will further enhance the quantitative approach of the league as a global attractant.

Strikers will host Brisbane Heat in the Women's Aus-T20 League season opener on 27 October — guaranteeing a mouth-watering replay of last season's final. And now it's a new spark that Mandhana has joined in, giving the Adelaide Strikers added motivation to prove their title-winning credentials and solidify their place among the Women's Aus-T20 League powerhouses.