Pooja Vastrakar, Kiran Navgire, Shikha Pandey, and Yastika Bhatia are amongst the overseas signings for the upcoming season of the Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL), the tournament organizers announced on Friday.
As per the tournament format, the points table topping team in the group stage will advance to the final while the second and third placed team will advance to the playoff clash to determine the second finalist. Fast-bowling all-rounder Pooja and explosive batter Kiran will turn out for defending champions Barbados Tridents. The Indian duo will join former New Zealand batting stalwart Suzie Bates and her fellow White Fern Madeline Green as part of the side’s overseas contingent. Former Australia captain Meg Lanning will headline the lineup for debut franchise Jamaica Empress, and make her WCPL debut. She is joined at the new franchise by Ireland opener Amy Hunter, South Africa left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba, New Zealand right-arm seamer Rosemary Mair, and Pakistan’s leg-spinner Syeda Aroob Shah. It’s the first time both Rosemary and Syeda will feature in the WCPL. Elsewhere, Guyana Amazon Warriors have assembled a formidable roster in pursuit of their maiden WCPL title by signing South African pace spearhead Shabnim Ismail, all-rounders Chloe Tryon and Nadine de Klerk, top-order batter Tazmin Brits, and Australia’s Erin Burns. Except for Tazmin, all international signings for the Warriors have prior WCPL experience.
Barring Shikha, Pooja, Kiran and Yastika will make their first WCPL appearances when the competition takes place from September 5-17, with all matches to be played at the Kensington Oval.
