India’s World Cup winning star Jemimah Rodrigues will miss the remainder of the Women’s Big Bash League season in Australia as her franchise Brisbane Heat announced that she will stay back in India to support her teammate Smriti Mandhana. Rodrigues, who was the only Indian player part of WBBL’s 11th season, reached Australia within a week after winning the World Cup in Navi Mumbai to turn up for Brisbane Heat in three matches. She then returned to India to be part of the wedding festivities of her close friend and teammate Smriti Mandhana with music composer Palash Muchhal.
“Brisbane Heat have agreed to a request to release Jemimah Rodrigues from the remainder of the Weber Women’s Big Bash League. Rodrigues returned home to India after the Heat’s match against the Hobart Hurricanes 10 days ago as part of a pre-arranged commitment where she was to be involved in Indian teammate Smriti Mandhana’s wedding last weekend,” the franchise said in a statement. “However, the celebrations were subsequently postponed due to a health issue with Mandhana’s father. Rodrigues will stay in India to support her teammate, and the Heat has agreed to her not returning for the final four games of the WBBL season.”
Mandhana’s wedding was scheduled to take place on November 23, but was postponed on the day after her father Shrinivas’ health deteriorated suddenly while having breakfast and he had to be hospitalised according to Smriti’s manager Tuhin Mishra.
Heat CEO Terry Svenson said the franchise had no qualms in agreeing to Rodrigues’ request. “It has obviously been a challenging time for Jemi, so while it is unfortunate that she will take no further part in the WBBL, we were more than willing to agree to her request to remain in India,’’ he said. “The Heat club obviously wish her and Smriti Mandhana’s family all the best for the future. Jemi told us she was disappointed not to be coming back and has passed on her appreciation to the club and the Heat fans for being so understanding of the circumstances. She has been in touch with the players and wished them all the best for the rest of their games.”
Rodrigues was Heat’s number one pick at the International Player draft earlier this year. She landed in Brisbane just hours before Heat’s first match of the season and played three matches for the franchise, scoring 6, 11 and 20. The last year’s finalists have had a torrid season, losing six out of six matches so far. Mandhana, who has been part of WBBL in the past before with Strikers and Thunder, didn’t feature in this edition.
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