Women’s Big Bash League to be played entirely in Sydney

SYDNEY: The sixth season of Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League (BBL) has been shifted entirely to Sydney as COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions forced drastic venue and schedule changes.

Cricket Australia’s head of Big Bash Leagues Alistair Dobson said that travel restrictions due to pandemic have forced the relocation of the 59-match domestic Twenty20 tournament, which will start on Sunday, Oct. 25.

The eight-team tournament was originally set to start on October 17, with 59 games across six cities. However, all the matches will now be played in Sydney, starting a week later.

Alistair Dobson further said that a huge amount of work had gone into ensuring the sixth edition could go ahead in full. “We can achieve great things together and the spirit of cooperation has been truly uplifting,” he said.

Dobson said he was working with the Australian government to ensure overseas players could also enter the country to join their clubs.

Many of Australia’s World Cup-winning T20 squad will take part in the BBL, including Meg Lanning, Alyssa Healy, and Ellyse Perry. In this regard, Brisbane Heat captain Jess Jonassen said that Players had been expecting the switch to a single-location hub.

“Now there’s that little bit of clarity around what the season is going to look like, everyone is able to prepare for that,” she said. “I think everyone is just really excited to get out on the field and start playing some cricket again,” she added.