When one talks about great women cricketer of their generation, Chamari Athapaththu’s name, invariably and unarguably, will be at the top of the list for most; yet when Women’s Premier League came around for the first time in 2023, there were no takers for this absolute legend of the game.
Come 2024, Athapaththu, as she has been doing over the years was ransacking bowling attacks at the international level, but WPL teams still were hesitant to pick up the Sri Lankan. She went unsold in the 2023 players’ auction for the second time in a row; she seemed to have accepted the reality that she may not get a chance to play in the WPL – one of the premier women’s T20 league in the world.
But fate has its way own of working out and Athapaththu eventually made it to the WPL this year as a replacement for England’s Lauren Bell by UP Warriorz just one month before the commencement of the tournament. Bell had pulled out of the league citing national commitment.
Athapaththu’s signing, albeit as an afterthought, will be a shot in the arm for the Alyssa Healy-led side who had finished third in the inaugural edition. Her presence in the squad is a blessing in disguise for the Warriorz, given the form she has been in lately; but as an overseas resource, she would make the selection riddle trickier for the management.
Skipper Healy, who herself plays in the top of the order and is a foreign player, believes the same. Replying to a News18 CricketNext query in a select media interaction, Healy admitted that Athapaththu’s case will be a ‘difficult conversation’ to have with the management.
“I think it’s a great signing for us. Obviously having depth in our side with both bat and ball was really important. And to add to that list of names that we’ve already got, was a really great. Great opportunity for us. So yes, it’s going to be a really difficult conversation for management and obviously myself as well as to who’s playing in the 11 and what opportunities everyone’s going to going to get,” Healy said.
“But I mean, I think they’re really good problems to have and she’s in great form. So I’m sure she’ll come into conversation quite a lot,” she added.
Healy to choose an Indian partner
Match no. 2 in the WPL 2024 will see Healy’s Warriorz to take on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, on Saturday. All eyes will be on UP’s opening pair, but the skipper has clearly indicated that she would have an Indian batter alongside her to open the innings.
“We know about the six international cricketers we have at our disposal and what they can do for our side, probably balancing their contributions.
“I would say it will be myself and probably an Indian player that will open the batting initially. We will probably give that a red-hot crack,” Healy said in a virtual press conference.
The Australian wicketkeeper-batter also mentioned that if Athapaththu comes into the mix, she would definitely bat in the top of the order. And most likely, the latter has to wait for her turn.
“Chamari, if she does come into our playing order, I think she will be in the top order. We will have to wait and see how the season pans out,” Healy said.
But Athapatthu can bat in the middle-order as well, if required. Earlier, in a select media interaction the Lankan captain had said that she is comfortable in switching position regardless of her role in the team. But at the moment, she is more excited to share the dressing room with the likes of Deepti Sharma, Sophie Ecclestone and especially, Healy.
“I never shared a dressing room with quite a few, especially Alyssa Healy. I have never played with her. This will be the first time that I will play with her and under her captaincy, so super excited to play with her,” Athapaththu had said.
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