NEW DELHI: India’s Women’s World Cup hero Jemimah Rodrigues has withdrawn from the remainder of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) season, choosing to stay back home to support close friend and teammate Smriti Mandhana after her wedding was postponed due to a sudden health issue concerning Mandhana’s father. Jemimah, who had flown to India 10 days ago after Brisbane Heat’s match against Hobart Hurricanes for what was supposed to be a brief pre-arranged trip, was scheduled to rejoin her WBBL side this week. But with the unforeseen development, she requested a release — one the franchise agreed to without hesitation.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“The Brisbane Heat have agreed to a request to release Jemimah Rodrigues from the remainder of the Women’s Big Bash League,” the club announced in a statement. It confirmed that Rodrigues “returned home to India” for Mandhana’s wedding but stayed back after the celebrations were “subsequently postponed due to a health issue with Mandhana’s father.”
The Heat said they fully supported Jemimah’s decision: “Rodrigues will stay in India to support her teammate, and the Heat has agreed to her not returning for the final four games of the WBBL season.”Jemimah, who was Brisbane Heat’s No.1 pick in the International Player Draft this year, had been in strong form and remains a key figure in India’s cricketing rise. She was instrumental in India clinching their maiden Women’s World Cup title, smashing an unbeaten century in the semifinal against seven-time champions Australia — a knock that has already entered Indian cricket folklore.Brisbane Heat CEO Terry Svenson called it “a challenging time” for the 24-year-old. “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,” he said. “The Heat club obviously wish her and Smriti Mandhana’s family all the best. Jemi told us she was disappointed not to be coming back and has passed on her appreciation to the club and the fans for being so understanding.”With Rodrigues staying back, the Heat will now play their final league games without one of their biggest international stars — but with full empathy for her decision.
