Last year's player of the tournament Harmanpreet Kaur won't feature for the Renegades this season after withdrawing due to a back complaint
Injury forces Kaur out of WBBL|08
The Melbourne Renegades have been dealt a huge blow for the remainder of WBBL|08, with Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur ruled out for the tournament with a back issue.
Kaur was crucial for the Renegades in her 12 innings last season, scoring 406 runs at an average of 41.4 to earn herself player of the tournament honours.
The 33-year-old missed the Renegades’ opening two matches of this year’s season due to her commitments leading India at the Asia Cup and has withdrawn from returning to Australia due to her injury.
Renegades General Manager James Rosengarten said it was disappointing to lose the international star, while announcing English batter Eve Jones as her replacement.
“Harmanpreet was fantastic for us last season and we were looking forward to having her part of our squad again this year, but unfortunately she has been ruled out through injury,” Rosengarten said.
“Eve will stay on with our squad for at least the next couple of matches as we work through the best strategy for our squad for the remainder of the tournament.”
The Renegades have posted a win and a loss in their opening two games and were looking forward to being boosted by a world-class batter – a luxury their crosstown rivals will be afforded.
Jemimah Rodrigues will join the Melbourne Stars after finishing her Asia Cup duties with India in a huge addition for the currently seventh-placed side.
The 22-year-old will come into the tournament with confidence after topping the runs table at the Asia Cup with 217.
Rodrigues’ teammate Pooja Vastrakar, another member of India’s Asia Cup squad, will also make her way to the WBBL, linking up with the Brisbane Heat.
The allrounder will be joined in Brisbane by English star Danni Wyatt, who missed the Heat’s opening matches after being put on workload management by the ECB following her busy home summer.
The two overseas imports bolster an already powerful Brisbane line-up who have won two out of their first three matches, including a comfortable victory over the Renegades on Tuesday.
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