Overseas exits to hit WBBL finals

International commitments are set to hit a host of Rebel WBBL finals hopefuls, with players from India, England and New Zealand to be called away before the end of the tournament.

Of the five teams leading teams in contention for the WBBL|04 semi-finals, Sydney Thunder, Perth Scorchers and Melbourne Renegades would all lose big- name internationals for the finals due to international commitments.

Only reigning champions Sydney Sixers and third-placed Brisbane Heat will be unaffected.

India and New Zealand will meet in six limited-overs matches beginning on January 24 in Napier, with India’s players required to arrive home by January 12 and New Zealand’s by January 20.

England have a compulsory camp later this month ahead of their tour of India in February and their players are required to be home by January 17.

South Africa also have an international series looming, against Sri Lanka beginning on February 1 – just days after the WBBL|04 final on January 26 – but in a major boost for ladder leaders Sydney Sixers, general manager Jodie Hawkins has confirmed Proteas stars Marizanne Kapp and Dane van Niekerk will not be called away early and will be available for the play-offs.

There’s also good news for the Heat, whose South African internationals Sune Luus and Laura Wolvaardt are also available for the remainder of the season. 

Second-ranked Thunder are set to lose India T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur for their final match against the Heat on January 12, while she’ll also be unavailable for the semi-finals on January 19 and the final on January 26, should the Thunder advance.

Fortunately for the Thunder, they’ll retain former New Zealand wicketkeeper Rachel Priest and Windies star Stafanie Taylor for the business end of the season.

The fourth-ranked Renegades, who remained in touch with the top four when they defeated the Hurricanes by five wickets on Thursday and the Heat by 25 runs on Sunday, will lose England star Danielle Wyatt if they progress, while they’d also have to bid farewell to New Zealand pair Lea Tahuhu and Amy Satterthwaite if they made it all the way to the final.

Fifth-ranked Perth Scorchers will be without wicketkeeper Amy Jones should they make the play-offs, but they may retain fellow English pacer Kate Cross, who was not part of England’s World T20 squad and who has played just one international game since mid-2016.

Next year the WBBL will move to a separate window and will be played between October and December, before the start of the KFC BBL.