NEWS
Follow UsAt 21 years, Australia batter Phoebe Litchfield became the youngest full-time captain in the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) after she was announced as captain of the Sydney Thunder on October 25 (Friday) for the upcoming edition. Previously, Hannah Darlington led Thunder on an interim basis at the age of 19.
Litchfield replaces Heather Knight, who will miss the initial stages of the tournament due to an injury she picked up in the Women's T20 World Cup and will also remain absent for the latter stages due to the tour of South Africa.
"It's a huge honour to be named captain of Sydney Thunder," Litchfield said.
"I've grown up playing for this club and learning from some incredible leaders, so to now have the opportunity to lead such a talented group of players is really exciting. We've got a great mix of experience and young raw talent, and I'm really looking forward to the challenge of captaining the side this season."
The southpaw made her Thunder debut at the age of 16 and has since slammed 1,212 runs in 67 matches. Last season, she slammed 309 runs at a strike rate of 130.37.
"Phoebe becoming captain of Thunder just feels right," Thunder general manager Trent Copeland said.
"She's young, but her experience in the game makes this a natural progression. Phoebe has always been mature beyond her years, and her leadership qualities have been evident from the moment she joined Thunder.
"We've seen Phoebe thrive under pressure, whether it's for Australia in the World Cup or in key moments for Thunder. She's a great leader, both by character and by example, and we are excited to see her step into this role."
Thunder reached the Eliminator in the WBBL last season, where they were beaten by Brisbane Heat. They begin their WBBL 2024-25 season against Hobart Hurricanes on October 28 (Monday).
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