Sony Pictures Sports Network (SPSN) will continue to take women’s sports to a wider audience with the live telecast of the upcoming season of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL).
For the first time ever, viewers in India will get to watch eight Indian cricketers participating in this premier women’s cricket league. Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma, Shafali Verma, Radha Yadav, Poonam Yadav and Richa Ghosh who have also represented India in the recently concluded India tour of England and India tour of Australia series will be playing in the WBBL.
The much-anticipated tournament will begin on October 14, 2021 and will be telecast LIVE on SONY SIX channels as well as livestreamed on its on-demand OTT platform SonyLIV.
The 2021 edition of WBBL has already got Indian fans talking as eight Indian women cricketers who have also represented India will be seen taking the field.
Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma will be seen establishing their dominance in the Defending Champions Sydney Thunder, while Shafali Verma and Radha Yadav will play for Sydney Sixers. Poonam Yadav will join Brisbane Heat while Richa Ghosh will be seen in Hobart Hurricanes.
India’s T20I captain, Harmanpreet Kaur along with Jemimah Rodrigues will take to the pitch for Melbourne Renegades.
In the past, Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur and Veda Krishnamurthy have played in the Women’s Big Bash League with Smriti’s team, Brisbane Heat reaching the semifinals during the 2016-17 edition of the tournament.
Over the past few years, these women cricketers have become household names due to their outstanding performances, and it will be exciting for all the cricket fans to watch their favorites prove their mettle in international tournaments as well.
Women’s Big Bash League is among the top watched sporting leagues of Australia. The league which comprises eight teams, Sydney Sixers, Sydney Thunder, Adelaide Strikers, Brisbane Heat, Hobart Hurricanes, Melbourne Renegades, Melbourne Stars, and Perth Scorchers, features top Australian players along with select international players.
Five out the eight teams of Women’s Big Bash League will feature Indian female cricketers.
The live coverage of Women’s Big Bash League on SONY SIX (English) channels will start from October 14 with Sydney Sixers taking on Melbourne Stars in the tournament opener.
Notably, the Women’s Big Bash League is the Australian women’s domestic Twenty20 cricket competition.
The WBBL replaced the Australian Women’s Twenty20 Cup, which ran from the 2007–08 season through to 2014–15. The competition features eight city-based franchises, branded identically to the men’s Big Bash League (BBL) and the teams are made up of current and former Australian national team members, the country’s best young talent, and up to three overseas marquee players.
The Sydney Sixers have been the most successful team of the league so far as it had appeared in each of the first four finals and winning two titles.
On the other hand, the Sixers’ crosstown rivals — the Sydney Thunder, are the current champions.
The upcoming season will be the seventh edition of the league and will comprise of 59 games, which will take place over a period of 45 days.