UP Warriorz has named Sri Lankan all-rounder Chamari Athapaththu as a replacement for Lauren Bell for the upcoming WPL 2024 season.
Chamari Athapaththu named as replacement for Lauren Bell
Lauren Bell who was bought by UP Warriorz in the inaugural WPL auction of her base price of INR 30 Lakhs has withdrawn from the upcoming edition of WPL 2024.
UP Warrirorz has responded by naming Chamari Athapaththu as the replacement for the upcoming league next month.
Athapaththu is one of the most skillful batters in the game and has played in 120 T20Is. Known for his aggressive batting, the 33-year-old player is the one Sri Lankan woman to score a century in T20Is.
During the inaugural season, the batter scored 470 runs with a strike rate of 130.91. During the Big Bash League 2023, she completed the tournament as the second-highest run-scorer with 552 runs in 14 innings.
“I look forward to giving my best to the team and working closely with head coach Jon Lewis and skipper Alyssa Healy and help my team lift the coveted title,” Athapaththu said. “The WPL is a very dynamic tournament, and the UP Warriorz is a strong squad.”
UP Warriorz Kshemal Waigankar said, “It is unfortunate that Lauren won’t be a part of our squad this season but we wish her the best for the summer.”
“That said, We are very excited to bring Chamari Athapaththu on board with the UP Warriorz. She has been a stalwart of T20I cricket for over a decade and we look forward to bringing her on board with us.”
“She has been a great ambassador for women’s cricket all over the world, and we are delighted to have her experience and know-how among our ranks this season.”
Alyssa Healy-led Up Warriorz will be playing their first WPL 2024 match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on February 24 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
