India’s Women’s World Cup star Jemimah Rodrigues has pulled out of the rest of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) season. She decided to stay in India to support her close friend and teammate Smriti Mandhana, whose wedding was postponed because of a health issue involving Mandhana’s father.
Jemimah had travelled to India 10 days ago after Brisbane Heat’s match against Hobart Hurricanes for a short, pre-planned trip and was supposed to return this week. But after the unexpected situation, she asked the team to release her, and the franchise agreed immediately.
ALSO READ | Smriti Mandhana’s fiancé Palash Muchhal hospitalised just a day after her father’s medical emergency
“The Brisbane Heat have agreed to a request to release Jemimah Rodrigues from the remainder of the Women’s Big Bash League,” the club said in a statement.
It confirmed that Rodrigues “returned home to India” for Mandhana’s wedding but remained there after the celebrations were “subsequently postponed due to a health issue with Mandhana's father.”
Heat CEO Terry Svenson said, “The Heat club obviously wish her and Smriti Mandhana’s family all the best for the future. Jemi told us she was disappointed not to be coming back and has passed on her appreciation to the club and the Heat fans for being so understanding of the circumstances.
ALSO READ | Smriti Mandhana’s wedding postponed indefinitely after her father suffers heart attack
He added, "She has been in touch with the players and wished them all the best for the rest of their games."
Brisbane Heat, still looking for their first win of the season after a last-ball defeat to the Adelaide Strikers, now turn their attention to Friday’s match against the Sydney Sixers at Adelaide Oval.
