Harmanpreet Kaur, the captain of the Indian women's cricket team, will play for the Melbourne Renegades in the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) again later this year after signing a contract with the side on Monday.
The 33-year-old is one of the best batters in the world and has played for India on about 250 occasions in all three of the game's formats.
As the Renegades entered the WBBL-07 finals, Harmanpreet led the team in runs scored and wickets taken. The right-hander took 15 wickets with her off-spin while scoring 406 runs at an average of 58, including 18 sixes, which was the most in the championship.
According to melbournerenegades.com.au, Harmanpreet expressed his excitement at returning to the Renegades. "Last season, I had a great time working in a team setting, and I believe that it enabled me to play some of my greatest cricket.
Personally, all I wanted to do was fulfil my part in the team's success, and it was satisfying to be able to do that. We worked together as a team last year and were able to achieve some solid outcomes, but there is still plenty we can do to get better. We're hoping to accomplish that, advance to the championship round once more, and win.
In addition to being named to the "Team of the Tournament," Harmanpreet received 31 votes to earn the WBBL-07 "Player of the Tournament" title.
The right-hander, who often bats at No. 4, was the Renegades' match-winner on numerous occasions during the 2017 season, including a magnificent undefeated innings of 73 from just 46 balls to chase down 161 against the Adelaide Strikers in Perth.
The Melbourne Renegades general manager, James Rosengarten, expressed his club's extreme excitement at having Harmanpreet back this summer.
"One of the top players in the world, Harmanpreet's resume speaks for itself. Last year, she was terrific for us and frequently the match-winner, making a significant contribution to the competition with both bat and ball. Our team also benefited from Harmanpreet's leadership skills and ability to remain composed under duress as an experienced player. She was a fantastic match for our team on and off the field and really bought into it " he added.