In a massive development regarding the Women Premier League, Uttar Pradesh Warriorz on Friday named Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapattu as the replacement for Lauren Bell for the next season.
Bell, the fast bowler who Warriorz acquired for a starting price of Rs 30 lakh during the first WPL auction, has withdrawn from the competition.
Athapattu is regarded as one of the game’s most powerful hitters, and the Lankan captain is also one of the most experienced, having played in over 100 T20 internationals. The Lankan captain is expected to bring crucial experience to the Warriorz team.
She has been signed for a basic price of Rs 30 lakh.
In 2023, the hard-hitting batter scored 470 runs while maintaining an incredible strike rate of 130.91. Her 15 sixes this year are also a career high in women’s T20Is.
The 33-year-old was chosen captain of the Women T20I and ODI teams of the year, and she recently earned the Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year 2023 award.