Western Storm are delighted to be able to announce that Smriti Mandhana will be returning for the 2019 KIA Super League.
The 22-year-old made a huge impact for Western Storm last year and played a major role in the team making it to Finals Day for the third consecutive season.
Smriti is currently ranked as the number one batter in ODI cricket and the number three batter in IT20 cricket by the ICC.
In ODI cricket she has scored over 1900 runs in 50 matches at an average of 42.41. She has also featured in 58 IT20s, scoring 1298 runs at a strike rate of 119.08.
In 2018 she set the KSL alight with a number of outstanding displays, and finished the tournament as the leading run scorer with 421 runs at an average of 60.14 with a best of 102.
After announcing her return, Smriti said: “I enjoyed my time with Western Storm last year and I’m looking forward to coming back in 2019. We played some outstanding cricket last year and hopefully we can go a little further this season and lift the trophy.
“Everyone involved with Western Storm made me feel so welcome and, if given the opportunity, I was always going to come back. The culture around the team, from top to bottom, was very good and I know that everyone will be looking for success once again.
“The squad has a good mix of experienced players plus young players who have a point to prove. I hope that I can score the runs that will help to contribute to a successful year for Western Storm.”
Western Storm Head Coach, Trevor Griffin is understandably pleased to have been able to secure the services of such a world-class player. “Everyone knows what Smriti is capable of and she was absolutely sensational for us last year’” he said. Her performances on the field were superb and really set the tone for what we were trying to achieve in each match.
“It wasn’t just the volume of her runs that was impressive, it was the manner in which they were scored that really caught the eye.
“She was exceptional off the field as well. Her team ethic and the way in which she goes about her training will no doubt inspire some of our younger players, who will certainly learn from someone like her.”
Courtesy of Somerset CCC
