India's T20I captain Harmanpreet Kaur named WBBL 'Player of the Tournament' before playoff

India T20 Women's team skipper Harmanpreet Kaur received major honour in Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) on Wednesday following her outstanding season for Melbourne Renegades. The Indian was awarded the player of the tournament award for her outstanding effort with bat and ball. Kaur, who has earlier played for the Sydney Thunder in WBBL had a fantastic season with Melbourne Renegades following two years absence. The all-rounder is the first Indian player to take out the honour.

WBBL: Harmanpreet Kaur beats Sophie Devine for Player of the Tournament award

Harmanpreet Kaur WBBL 2021 season was at the top of her game throughout the tournament scoring 399 runs at a strike rate of 135.25 in 11 innings and taking 15 wickets at 20.4 with her off-spin. Kaur did not bat in the Renegades’ most recent match (a 43-run loss to Brisbane Heat on Saturday night) due to illness. Kaur received 31 votes finishing ahead of Perth Scorchers openers Beth Mooney and Sophie Devine, who got 28 votes apiece, Brisbane Heat pair Grace Harris (25) and Georgia Redmayne (24) rounded out the top five. Sophie Devine had won the previous two Player of the tournament award.

Recently Harmanpreet Kaur has been named in the Women's Big Bash League's official 'Team of the Tournament'. Kaur is the only Indian to feature in the best XI of WBBL despite some quality performances by the likes of Smriti Mandhana, who became the first from the country to hit a century in the league with a record-equalling 114 not out. Apart from Kaur, New Zealand all-rounder Sophie Devine, who plays for Perth Scorchers, was the only other international player in the best XI.

About WBBL 2021 Playoffs

In previous tournaments, the semi-finals saw matches between teams placed first and fourth followed by second and third. However this season the format was changed with the teams finishing third and fourth will need to win two playoff games in order to reach the final. The top-ranked team at the end of the 56-game regular season will directly progress to the final. 

The teams finishing third and fourth will meet in the eliminator and take on the winner to then play the second-ranked team in The Challenger on Thursday, November 25. Both The Eliminator and The Challenger will be played at the home venue of the second-placed team

Perth Scorchers are already in the final having topped the points table. The WBBL playoffs will get underway today with Brisbane Heat taking on the Adelaide Strikers Women elimination match. The winner of this match will face Melbourne Renegades in the Challenger's match. The winner of the Challenger match will take on Perth Scorchers in the final of the WBBL 2021 tournament.

Image: Twitter/@RenegadesWBBL