With just two weeks remaining before the player draft for the 10th edition of the Women’s Big Bash League, Sydney Thunder have secured Chamari Athapaththu on a three-year contract.
Unlike previous seasons, where overseas players were typically signed for just one season, the Sri Lankan all-rounder has been brought on board under the WBBL’s new multi-year contract provision.
This allows each of the eight clubs to sign one foreign player for up to three years outside of the season’s player draft.
Athapaththu has committed to being available for the entire league across the next three years, starting with the upcoming season, which kicks off on October 27.
“Committing to Sydney Thunder for the next three seasons was an easy decision because I believe in the vision of this club, and I want to be part of its future success,” said Athapaththu, who is currently playing for the Oval Invincibles in The Hundred.
“There’s so much to love about my Sydney Thunder family.
My teammates are not just colleagues; they are friends who push each other to be better every day, which is important to me… It’s been an incredible journey so far, and I’m so excited for what’s ahead.”
Athapaththu, the WBBL Player of the Tournament for the 2023-24 season, was initially overlooked in last year’s inaugural overseas draft but was later signed by Thunder as a replacement.
Once on board, the Sri Lankan captain, who had previously played for the Perth Scorchers and Melbourne Renegades, made a significant impact, scoring 552 runs—just behind Beth Mooney’s 557—at an average of 42.46 and a strike rate of 127.18.
She also took 9 wickets with an economy rate of 6.83.
Her performances earned her the Thunder’s WBBL Player of the Season award and the prestigious Alex Blackwell Medal.
Currently ranked No. 6 in the ICC’s T20I batters’ rankings and No. 5 in the all-rounders’ rankings, Athapaththu recently led Sri Lanka to their first-ever Women’s Asia Cup T20 victory in Dambulla, where they defeated the seven-time champions India.
The 34-year-old captain was the leading run-scorer of the tournament, amassing 304 runs at an astounding average of 101.33, including a career-best 119 not out.
Her strike rate of 146.85 was second only to Richa Ghosh’s 217.39 among players with over 100 runs in the tournament, and her 15 sixes were unmatched, with the next best being Shafali Verma’s three.
Since the conclusion of the 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup, Athapaththu has been the leading run-scorer in the format, accumulating 1,027 runs at an average of 41.08, including two centuries and six half-centuries.
“It’s incredibly exciting to have Chamari return to the Thunder and be available for the entire WBBL 2024 tournament,” said Thunder GM Trent Copeland.
“We know other teams were interested in signing her, but we made every effort to ensure she came back.
“Chamari is not only an exceptional cricketer but also an exceptional person who prioritizes the team and the fans… We are looking forward to Chamari returning and bringing joy to our fans, especially our multicultural supporters who rallied behind her in such large numbers last season.”
Sydney Thunder current squad:
| Player Name |
|---|
| Chamari Athapaththu (International) |
| Samantha Bates |
| Hannah Darlington |
| Saskia Horley |
| Anika Learoyd |
| Phoebe Litchfield |
| Claire Moore |
| Taneale Peschel |
| Georgia Voll |
| Tahlia Wilson |
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