Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Jul 11: Cricket Australia has officially announced the schedule for the 11th edition of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), with this season promising high-octane action and a packed 43-game schedule spread across 35 days. The league is set to begin on November 9, featuring a blockbuster triple-header on the opening day.
Last season’s finalists, Melbourne Renegades and Brisbane Heat, will set the tone for the competition, clashing in a rematch at Allan Border Field, Brisbane. With Heat eyeing revenge against the reigning champions, the opening contest is expected to be a fiery affair.
Following the opener, Hobart Hurricanes will take on Sydney Thunder at the same venue in another rematch from last year’s final four. Later in the evening, Perth Scorchers will host Sydney Sixers at the newly revamped WACA Ground, capping off an explosive start to the league.
The next day, the action will shift to Melbourne, where the Melbourne Stars will host Adelaide Strikers at the CitiPower Centre, ensuring all eight teams begin their campaigns within the first two days.
This season, the WBBL has been scheduled slightly later than usual, to accommodate the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 in India, which concludes on November 2.
The format for the finals remains unchanged. The top-ranked team at the end of the league stage will host the final on December 13. The third and fourth-placed teams will battle in The Knockout on December 9, with the winner advancing to face the second-placed team in The Challenger on December 11 for a place in the final.
Cricket Australia’s General Manager of Big Bash Leagues, Alistair Dobson, expressed excitement about the upcoming season, stating, “We’re delighted with this action-packed schedule, which starts with a blockbuster triple-header and features the marquee matches our fans have come to love.”
Dobson also added that with the WBBL concluding just as the BBL begins, cricket fans can look forward to non-stop action throughout the Australian summer, stretching until January 25.
With fierce rivalries and star-studded lineups, WBBL|11 promises to be a thrilling chapter in women’s cricket.