Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana has signed a one-year deal with Brisbane Heat for the second edition of the Women's Big Bash League, the franchise announced on Tuesday. The 20-year-old opener became the second Indian woman to sign for the WBBL, after India vice-captain Harmanpreet Kaur joined defending champions Sydney Thunder earlier this year.
According to ESPNcricinfo, the negotiations were on for over a month, with the formal announcement coming after the Board of Control for Cricket in India issued a no-objection certificate.
"I am looking forward very much to working with the Australian girls in the Heat squad after playing against them [in an ODI series] last season," Mandhana told Cricket Australia. "That was a good series, and I noticed there was a definite difference between their preparation and our preparation so I am keen to learn from the differences. Things like fitness and how they train for a series like the WBBL and the way they work on their fielding are areas I am interested in."
Brisbane Heat coach Andy Richards said Mandhana was on their priority list after her spectacular series in Australia, where she struck her maiden international century. The WBBL starts on December 10 this year.
