Jemimah Rodrigues retained by Brisbane Heat for WBBL 2025-26

Indian cricket player Jemimah Rodrigues was retained by Brisbane Heat for the upcoming Women’s Big Bash League 2025-26 season.

The hard-hitting batter was the third-round pick at the WBBL|11 overseas player draft held on Thursday.

Melbourne Stars, who held the third pick at the WBBL draft, were gunning to secure Jemimah Rodrigues' services, but Brisbane Heat exercised their retention option to ensure the Indian batter will be a part of their squad for a second consecutive season.

The 24-year-old Jemimah Rodrigues was the Heat’s second-highest run-scorer last season, amassing 267 runs in 10 innings at an average of 33.37 and a strike rate of 139.06, including a top score of 61 against Adelaide Strikers.

She helped the Brisbane Heat reach the WBBL|10 final, where they lost to Melbourne Renegades by seven runs.

A total of 23 overseas players were signed across eight franchises at Thursday’s WBBL 2025-26 draft.

The highlights include Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu and England captain Heather Knight joining Sydney Thunder; Adelaide Strikers securing Sophie Ecclestone, Tammy Beaumont and Laura Wolvaardt.

Sydney Sixers drafted Sophia Dunkley, Mady Villiers, and Amelia Kerr.

A total of 15 Indian players, including Shikha Pandey and Yastika Bhatia, had nominated themselves for the WBBL overseas player draft, but Rodrigues was the only one who was picked.

The upcoming season will be Rodrigues’ fourth successive season in the WBBL - Australia’s premier domestic T20 cricket league for women.

She made her debut for Melbourne Renegades in 2021-22 before joining their city rivals Stars for the 2022-23 campaign. The Indian batter had joined Brisbane Heat ahead of last season.

Overall, Rodrigues has scored 644 runs in 30 WBBL matches at an average of over 25. Her highest score in the competition is 75.

Jemimah Rodrigues boasts of over 2,000 runs for India in women’s T20Is.

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