Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu will replace Lauren Bell at UP Warriorz in WPL Season 2

The UP Warriorz, led by Alyssa Healy, will start their WPL campaign against the Royal Challengers Bangalore at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday, February 24.

Bangalore: The UP Warriorz, who finished third in the inaugural edition of the WPL, have called up Sri Lanka women's cricket team skipper Chamari Athapaththu as a replacement for England fast bowler Lauren Bell ahead of the upcoming 2024 Women's Premier League season scheduled for 2024. held from Friday February 23 to Sunday March 17.

The English cricketer was part of the UP Warriorz line-up in WPL Season 1, which was played in Mumbai in 2023.

One of the most experienced and dynamic cricketers in the T20 format, Athapaththu will be making her debut in the Women's Premier League. She played 122 T20Is for her country and was in fine form in 2023. The batswoman finished with 470 runs in 2023, with an impressive strike rate of 130.91. Her 15 sixes in the year is also a personal highlight in the Women's T20Is.

More recently, the left-handed batswoman finished as the second-highest run-getter in the Women's Big Bash League 2023, with 552 runs to her name in 14 innings, an average of 42.46 in the tournament. The right-arm off-break bowler also picked up 9 wickets for the Sydney Thunders.

“I am grateful to UP Warriorz and Capri Sports for placing their trust in me for the upcoming season of the Women's Premier League. I look forward to giving my best for the team and working closely with head coach Jon Lewis and skipper Alyssa Healy and helping my team lift the coveted title. The WPL is a very dynamic tournament and the UP Warriorz is a strong team,” said the Sri Lankan all-rounder.

“It is a shame that Lauren will not be part of our squad this season, but we wish her the best for the summer. That said, we are very excited to bring Chamari Athapaththu on board with the UP Warriorz. She has been a stalwart of T20I cricket for over a decade and we look forward to having her on board. She has been a great ambassador for women's cricket around the world, and we are happy to have her experience and know-how in our ranks this season,” said Kshemal Waingankar, COO, UP Warriorz.

The UP Warriorz, led by Alyssa Healy, will start their WPL campaign against the Royal Challengers Bangalore at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday, February 24.