‘We love having them’: Ellyse Perry on South Asian players in WBBL

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The launch ceremony of the ninth season of Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) took place in Melbourne on Monday.

The ceremony witnessed the presence of key players from various WBBL teams. Star players such as Ellyse Perry (Sydney Sixers), Georgia Wareham (Melbourne Renegades), Kim Garth (Melbourne Stars), Jemma Barsby (Adelaide Strikers), and Alana King (Perth Scorchers) added their star power to the launch event.

Reflecting on the diversity within the WBBL during the event, Perry acknowledged the presence of players from the subcontinent in previous seasons and anticipated their continued participation. She affirmed the league's welcoming stance towards players from diverse backgrounds.

"We have had players play in the WBBL across different seasons from the subcontinent and I am sure that will continue to be an option. We love having them," Perry said.

Nida Dar became the first female cricketer from Pakistan to play in an international league, having represented the Sydney Thunder in the 2019 Women's Big Bash League (WBBL).

Dar, along with Fatima Sana, Aiman Anwar, Aroob Shah, and Iram Javed, were nominated for the inaugural WBBL Overseas Player Draft this year. Unfortunately, none of them were picked by any team.

Alana King echoed Perry's sentiments, expressing her desire to see more South Asian women cricketers participating in the WBBL in the future.

"The more South Asian women cricketers play franchise cricket, the more they will learn,” King said.

"Indian cricketers are also playing in the Hundreds, WBBL has also inspired many cricketers. The people of this region love cricket very much," she added.

King also envisioned a future where women's cricket leagues would proliferate, akin to the expansion seen in men's cricket.

"The time is not far when we will see more women's leagues like men's cricket," she concluded.

The WBBL season 9 is scheduled to kick off on October 19, with the final showdown set to take place on December 2 at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).