Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu and the South Africa trio of Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus and Chloe Tryon are in a list of nine overseas players set to take part in the inaugural women's CPL. These players have been split into three teams, which will also be involved in the 6ixty, a T10 tournament. Matches start on August 24 and go on till September 4.
Most of the big names in women's cricket are currently involved in The Hundred in England, which ends only on September 3. This includes the captains of Barbados Royals and Trinbago Knight Riders. However, Hayley Matthews and Deandra Dottin are expected to cut their stay short and return to the Caribbean soon.
Athapaththu, Sri Lanka's highest run-getter in T20Is, will join Khaka, the fast bowler recently named South Africa women's player of the year, at Guyana Amazon Warriors. They will be led by Stafanie Taylor.
Luus, who has 931 runs and 48 wickets in 91 T20Is, will be with Knight Riders, and play alongside Hayley Jensen, the seam-bowling allrounder who helped New Zealand win the bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games recently.
Anisa Mohammed, the highest wicket-taker in women's T20Is, and Dottin, who retired from international cricket over issues with Cricket West Indies the other day, bring the local flavour.
The Royals' contingent includes Tryon, the South Africa veteran who has played 174 times for her country, and Fatima Sana, the 20-year-old at the start of her career as a seam-bowling allrounder for Pakistan.
All three teams are made up of 14 players and include one each from the USA: 15-year-old Snigdha Paul (Royals), 16-year-old Isani Vaghela (Amazon Warriors), and 18-year-old Geetika Kodali (Knight Riders).
Barbados Royals: Hayley Matthews (capt), Shakera Selman (vice-capt), Fatima Sana (Pakistan), Chloe Tryon (South Africa), Snigdha Paul (USA), Reneice Boyce, Mandy Rangru, Britney Cooper, Aaliyah Alleyne, Shanika Bruce, Afy Fletcher, Qiana Joseph, Japhina Joseph, Chinelle Henry
Guyana Amazon Warriors: Stafanie Taylor (capt), Shermaine Campbell (vice-capt), Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka), Ayabonga Khaka (South Africa), Isani Vaghela (USA), Rashada Williams, Rachel Vincent, Kaycia Schultz, Chedean Nationa, Cherry-Ann Fraser, Shamilla Connell, Karishma Ramharak, Shabika Gajnabi, Zaida James
Trinbago Knight Riders: Deandra Dottin (capt), Anisa Mohammed (vice-capt), Hayley Jensen (New Zealand), Sune Luus (South Africa), Geetika Kodali (USA), Lee Ann Kirby, Kyshona Knight, Kycia Knight, Natasha McLean, Sheneta Grimmond, Caneisha Isaac, Jannillea Glasgow, Steffie Soogrim, Shawnisha Hector