Indian women’s team T20 captain Harmanpreet
Kaur has been named in the Women’s Big Bash League’s ‘Team of the Season’ after
she put up a brilliant all-round show for Melbourne Renegades this season. She
is the only Indian to feature in this exclusive list. WBBL is the most
competitive franchise-based T20 tournament for women.

The team has been selected by
cricket.com.au journalist Laura Jolly, former Australia players Lisa Sthalekar
and Mel Jones and Australia national selector Shawn Flegler.

Kaur shines with bat and ball

Harmanpreet Kaur scored 399 runs in 12 matches at an average of 66.5.
She maintained an impressive strike rate of 135.25. She also scored three
half-centuries.

Last week’s 81 not out against Sydney
Thunder was her highest score this season. She has also hit a competition-best
18 sixes till now.

“Harmanpreet Kaur has been a dominant
force with bat and ball for the Renegades, spearheading their rise back up the
ladder after joining her new club,” the Cricket Australia website stated.

With the ball in hand, Kaur has proved to
be handy following an injury to Melbourne Renegades’ star leg-spinner, Georgia
Wareham. The 32-year-old Indian cricketer has been brilliant in the power play
and took 15 wickets. Her best bowling figure is 3/22.

Sophie Devine named captain

Sophie Devine, who plays for Perth
Scorchers, has been named captain of the team. The New Zealand all-rounder is
the only other international cricketer to feature in the team apart from
Harmanpreet Kaur. Brisbane Heat’s Georgia Redmayne has been chosen as a
wicket-keeper.

Among the notable miss from the list is
Smriti Mandhana, who became the first Indian to hit a century in WBBL
2021 with a record-equalling 114 not out. Apart from Kaur and Mandhana, there
are six other Indian women playing in the WBBL. They are Deepti Sharma, Poonam
Yadav, Richa Ghosh, Shafali Verma, Radha Yadav and Jemimah Rodrigue

Melbourne Renegades are slated to play The
Challenger on Thursday.