Pooja Vastrakar, Kiran Navgire, Shikha Pandey, Yastika Bhatia to feature in 2026 WCPL

Bridgetown, Aug 28 (IANS) Pooja Vastrakar, Kiran Navgire, Shikha Pandey, and Yastika Bhatia are amongst the overseas signings for the upcoming season of the Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL), the tournament organizers announced on Friday.

Barring Shikha, Pooja, Kiran and Yastika will make their first WCPL appearances when the competition takes place from September 5-17, with all matches to be played at the Kensington Oval. As per the tournament format, the points table topping team in the group stage will advance to the final while the second and third placed team will advance to the playoff clash to determine the second finalist.

Fast-bowling all-rounder Pooja and explosive batter Kiran will turn out for defending champions Barbados Tridents. The Indian duo will join former New Zealand batting stalwart Suzie Bates and her fellow White Fern Madeline Green as part of the side’s overseas contingent.

Meanwhile, experienced pacer Shikha, who has been a part of last two CPL seasons, will be joined by wicketkeeper-batter Yastika at the Trinbago Knight Riders. The duo will feature alongside South Africa’s star seam-bowling all-rounder Marizanne Kapp, as well as Australia duo of Laura Harris and leg-spinner Madeline Penna.

Pooja returned to competitive cricket action earlier this year via WPL 2026 for eventual champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), after shoulder surgery and hamstring injury kept her out of action after 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup. She featured in this year’s Madhya Pradesh Women’s T20 league, where she led Chambal Ghariyals Women to winning the title.

Her previous overseas franchise cricket experience came via playing for Brisbane Heat in 2022/23 WBBL in Australia. Kiran, who turns out for UP Warriorz in the WPL, is all set to have her first overseas T20 franchise cricket playing experience via the competition in the Caribbean.

Meanwhile, Yastika’s previous overseas franchise cricket stint came via turning out for Melbourne Stars in the 2024/25 WBBL. Yastika, the first batter to hit a Women’s Test century at Lord’s in July, also slated to lead India ‘A’ in 50-over and red-ball games against Australia ‘A’ just three days after the WCPL is over.

Former Australia captain Meg Lanning will headline the lineup for debut franchise Jamaica Empress, and make her WCPL debut. She is joined at the new franchise by Ireland opener Amy Hunter, South Africa left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba, New Zealand right-arm seamer Rosemary Mair, and Pakistan’s leg-spinner Syeda Aroob Shah. It’s the first time both Rosemary and Syeda will feature in the WCPL.

Elsewhere, Guyana Amazon Warriors have assembled a formidable roster in pursuit of their maiden WCPL title by signing South African pace spearhead Shabnim Ismail, all-rounders Chloe Tryon and Nadine de Klerk, top-order batter Tazmin Brits, and Australia’s Erin Burns. Except for Tazmin, all international signings for the Warriors have prior WCPL experience.

2026 Women’s Caribbean Premier League overseas signings list

Barbados Tridents: Madeline Green (New Zealand), Suzie Bates (New Zealand), Pooja Vastrakar (India) and Kiran Navgire (India)

Guyana Amazon Warriors: Shabnim Ismail (South Africa), Erin Burns (Australia), Chloe Tryon (South Africa), Tazmin Brits (South Africa) and Nadine de Klerk (South Africa)

Jamaica Empress: Meg Lanning (Australia), Amy Hunter (Ireland), Nonkululeko Mlaba (South Africa), Syeda Aroob Shah (Pakistan) and Rosemary Mair (New Zealand)

Trinbago Knight Riders: Marizanne Kapp (South Africa), Shikha Pandey (India), Laura Harris (Australia), Madeline Penna (Australia) and Yastika Bhatia (India)

–IANS

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