(Cricket News) Chamari Athapaththu, the captain of the Sri Lanka women’s team, was announced as the replacement for English fast bowler Lauren Bell in the Women’s Premier League side UP Warriorz on Friday. The team made the surprising decision to sign Athapaththu for her base price of Rs 30 lakh, considering her remarkable form in the shortest format in 2023.

Described as one of the most powerful hitters in the game, Athapaththu is also one of the most experienced players, featuring in over 120 T20Is. The announcement by the WPL highlighted her attacking batting style, noting that she is the only Sri Lankan woman to have scored a century in T20Is.

Despite being the captain of the Sri Lanka women’s team, Athapaththu went unsold during the WPL 2024 auctions, which surprised many given her outstanding performances in the shortest format in 2023. In the previous year, she scored 470 runs in 16 T20Is and picked up eight wickets. Leading Sri Lanka to a historic series win over England, she finished as the leading scorer and joint-leading wicket-taker. In the Women’s Big Bash League, representing Sydney Thunder, she was named the player of the tournament, securing the second-highest run-scorer position with 552 runs and nine wickets.

The second edition of the WPL is scheduled to be held in Bangalore and Delhi, with the BCCI confirming the venues on Wednesday. The league will kick off on February 23, with the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore hosting the opening match between last year’s finalists, Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals. The top-ranked side at the end of the league stage will secure a direct spot in the final, while the Eliminator between the second and third-placed teams will decide the second finalist on March 15, followed by the summit clash on March 17. The first season of the WPL was hosted in Mumbai, with all games played at the DY Patil Stadium or the Brabourne Stadium.

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