Women's Big Bash League 2023: All you need to know about 2023 WBBL season

The Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) is set to begin on Thursday. This is the ninth edition of the tournament. With tournament has some new additions as this will be the first time that the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Sydney Cricket Ground will host the full tournament. This will be the first women’s match at either venue outside of the T20 World Cup. 

They introduced the player draft for the first time in the event as each team was able to sign up to three overseas players, and there were no longer any restrictions on how many Cricket Australia contracted players they needed to sign. In this year's WBBL, eight teams from Australia will compete. There will be round robin format at first with all the teams playing against each other twice. 

The defending champions Adelaide Strikers will play against Melbourne Stars in the first match on October 21. Winners of the group stage will directly qualify for the final, while the second-place side receives a bye round and will play with the winner of those placed third and fourth who will first face each other in the ‘eliminator’. There will be a total of 56 matches at the group stage. Harmanpreet Kaur is the only Indian woman's cricketer playing in the tournament. Star Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry will miss the first game of the event. 

Overseas players of WBBL 

Adelaide Strikers: Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa), Dani Gibson, Georgia Adams (both England)

Brisbane Heat: Amelia Kerr (New Zealand), Bess Heath (England), Mignon du Preez (South Africa), Sarah Glenn (England, replacement)

Hobart Hurricanes: Lizelle Lee (South Africa), Shabnim Ismail (South Africa), Bryony Smith (England)

Melbourne Renegades: Hayley Matthews (West Indies), Harmanpreet Kaur (India), Tammy Beaumont (England)

Melbourne Stars: Alice Capsey, Maia Bouchier, Sophia Dunkley (all England)

Perth Scorchers: Sophie Devine (New Zealand), Amy Jones (England), Lauren Winfield-Hill (England, six games) 

Sydney Sixers: Suzie Bates, Jess Kerr (both New Zealand), Chloe Tryon (South Africa), Linsey Smith (England, replacement)

Sydney Thunder: Lauren Bell, Heather Knight (both England), Marizanne Kapp (South Africa), Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka, replacement)

Where and How to watch WBBL?

Star Sports Network recently earned the media rights to broadcast and stream Australian domestic matches for seven years. Cricket fans from India can watch these matches on Star Sports channels and online users will need to see the live streaming on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website. However, they will need a premium subscription to watch the live WBBL 2023 matches on the app.