Yastika Bhatia, an Indian wicketkeeper-batsman, has been recruited by the Brisbane Heat to serve as a replacement for Jess Jonassen, who is currently unable to participate in the Women’s Big Bash League as a result of a hip injury.
Yastika Bhatia will be a member of the Heat prior to their second game of the season, which is scheduled to take place in Sydney on November 1. He will remain with the team for the duration of the competition. She is the sole competitor from India this year.
Yastika Bhatia contributes 28 ODI, 26 T20I, and four Test matches to the Heat’s roster. Additionally, she has participated in two Twenty20 Internationals, three One-Day Internationals, and one Test on Australian soil, which has provided her with a practical understanding of the local conditions, particularly at the Heat’s home ground, Allan Border Field.
What was the reason for the Brisbane Heat’s necessity to replace Jess Jonassen?
The Heat suffered a significant loss when Jonassen withdrew from the competition prior to its official commencement due to a hip issue. The team promptly recruited an experienced international batter to assume the role. The Heat’s head coach, Mark Sorrell, addressed the team’s decision to sign Bhatia.
Orla Prendergast, an all-rounder from Ireland, and Sarah Glenn, a spinner from England, are the Heat’s two other foreign additions for the season, in addition to Bhatia.
What does Yastika Bhatia provide the Brisbane Heat?
Yastika Bhatia was the second-highest run scorer for the Melbourne Stars in the WBBL 2024, having scored 154 runs at a strike rate of 104.76 in six games. Meg Lanning’s tally of 158 runs was the sole one that exceeded hers during that competition.
Yastika Bhatia’s return to competitive cricket has been noteworthy. After rupturing her ACL in September of last year, she was unable to play for nearly eighteen months, which coincided with India’s victory in the 2025 ODI World Cup.
She returned to the international stage during the T20 World Cup, which was held in England in June. She made history by becoming the first female player to score a Test century at Lord’s as part of India’s 270-run victory over England the following month.
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Bhatia’s most recent professional experience was with the Trinbago Knight Riders in the Women’s Caribbean Premier League, prior to her current WBBL tenure. Upon her return to the league, she transfers to the Brisbane Heat, as opposed to her previous WBBL team, the Melbourne Stars.
Cricket news and match updates contributor for CricLeagueStats.
