Jemimah Rodrigues to miss WBBL season to support Smirti Mandhana

Dubai: With several developments unfolding in Indian star cricketer Smriti Mandhana’s personal life, her close friend and teammate Jemimah Rodrigues has chosen to sit out the remainder of the Women’s Big Bash League in Australia to stay by Mandhana’s side.

Jemimah had flown back to India a few days earlier to attend Mandhana’s wedding and was due to return to complete her WBBL commitments with Brisbane Heat. However, Mandhana’s father fell ill on the eve of the ceremony, forcing the wedding to be postponed. Jemimah then decided to remain in India to support her friend.

Brisbane Heat CEO Terry Svenson acknowledged fans’ disappointment at losing Rodrigues — this year’s top international draft pick and in her second stint with the club — but stressed that the franchise prioritised her wellbeing.

Difficult times

“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. The Heat club wishes her and Smriti Mandhana’s family all the best for the future,” Svenson said in a statement.

He added that Jemimah had expressed her regret at not returning and had thanked the club and fans for their understanding. She has also been in touch with the players, wishing them well for the rest of the tournament.

In its official statement, Brisbane Heat confirmed that they had agreed to release Rodrigues from the remainder of the season. “Rodrigues returned to India after the Heat’s match against the Hobart Hurricanes 10 days ago for a pre-arranged commitment related to Mandhana’s wedding. The celebrations were postponed due to a health issue with Mandhana’s father,” the statement said. The club agreed to her request to stay back, meaning she will miss the final four games of the season.

Jemimah recently played a crucial role in India’s maiden Women’s World Cup triumph, scoring an unbeaten century in the semi-final against seven-time champions Australia as India successfully chased a target of over 300 runs.

Svenson reiterated that it had been a difficult period for Jemimah, but the Heat fully supported her decision. Rodrigues had been the club’s No 1 pick in this year’s International Player draft.