21 Nov 2023Northern Brave (W) have made a huge coup with the signing of Sri Lankan international superstar Chamari Athapaththu for the 2023/24 Super Smash campaign.
At international level, the top-order left-hand batter has made 220 appearances across ODI’s and T20’s, scoring over 5,000 runs including a high score of 178*. Her off-spin bowling has contributed 68 wickets.
Athapaththu is currently starring in the Women’s Big Bash League for Sydney Thunder, with 451 runs to her name at an average of 50 and strike rate of 135 to put her second highest run scorer in the competition. Speaking from Australia to announce her Northern Brave signing, she noted that she has admired the Super Smash league for a while now, saying that she is “super excited to join this amazing team.”
The Sri Lankan T20 captain will join the Northern Brave camp just before the new year, ready for her first fixture with the side on Tuesday, 2 January at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui.
“We’re excited to get Chamari around the group,” said Northern Brave captain and Ireland international Eimear Richardson.
“She’s been in great form the last few months and is showing her class in the WBBL currently, so we’re excited to add her firepower to our lineup.
Chamari’s all-round abilities will be a great addition to the Super Smash and is sure to excite the crowds with both bat and ball in hand. It will be great to have a player of her abilities on the park with us.”
Athapaththu’s experience and aggressive left-hand batting style looks set to compliment a talented Brave batting line-up featuring the likes of youngsters, Tash Wakelin and Eve Wolland, along with more experienced leaders Eimear Richardson, Sam Barriball and WHITE FERNS keeper-bat Bernadine Bezuidenhout.
“We cannot wait to have a world-class player in Chamari join the Northern Brave for this season’s Super Smash competition,” said Ian Sandbrook, GM Performance & Talent at ND.
“There’s no doubt that her exciting skill set, and destructive x-factor will be a huge addition to our team but just as importantly, to the competition as a whole.
We also know that Chamari will be a great role model and leader within our environment, and imparting these behaviours on our talented young squad is another important step in making the Northern Brave the best performance environment in the country.”
The Northern Brave Super Smash campaign kicks off at Seddon Park on Friday, 22 December with a double header where the women’s and men’s Brave teams will face off against the Central Hinds and Stags. Tickets are now on sale at ndcricket.flicket.co.nz.
