Chamari Athapaththu to Miss Final WPL Phase for National Duty
Chamari Athapaththu, a key player for UP Warriorz (UPW) in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), is set to leave the team early to join Sri Lanka’s national team on a white-ball tour to New Zealand starting March 4 in Napier. This decision comes as a significant setback for UPW, who are already grappling with the absence of their full-time captain, Alyssa Healy, due to injury. ESPNcricinfo has confirmed that Athapaththu will be available for UPW until February 26, participating in four more games before she departs for national duty. Her departure will undoubtedly impact the team’s performance and strategy in the final phase of the tournament.
Athapaththu’s Impact and UPW’s Schedule
Athapaththu, named as the captain of Sri Lanka’s 16-member squad, is scheduled to leave for New Zealand on February 22 for a series of three ODIs and three T20Is. UPW’s last game with Athapaththu will be against Mumbai Indians in Bengaluru on February 26. Following this match, the team will travel to Lucknow for the final league phase of the WPL, where they will play three home matches. The team has only played one game so far, which they lost to Gujarat Giants, and Athapaththu was notably left out of the starting eleven in that match. The absence of such a crucial player could further hinder UPW’s chances of advancing in the tournament.
New Zealand Player Amelia Kerr’s Commitment to WPL
In contrast to Athapaththu, Amelia Kerr, the New Zealand all-rounder representing Mumbai Indians in the WPL, has committed to playing the entire league and knockouts, if her team qualifies. Kerr, unlike Athapaththu, will miss the bilateral series against Sri Lanka to remain available for the WPL, including the final scheduled for March 15. If Mumbai Indians make it to the final, Kerr will also miss the first two T20Is against Sri Lanka, which are scheduled for March 14 and 16 in Christchurch. This decision mirrors Kerr’s stance last year, when she skipped the home T20Is against England to play in the WPL.
Historical Context: Previous Calendar Clashes
The issue of calendar clashes between international series and domestic leagues has been a recurring concern in women’s cricket. In 2024, the overlap between the final leg of the WPL and the T20I series in New Zealand became particularly problematic. England captain Heather Knight (RCB) and Lauren Bell (UPW) opted out of the WPL to represent their national teams. Athapaththu herself had stepped in to replace Bell for UPW. However, efforts have been made since then to address these scheduling conflicts. Boards like the ECB have assured their players that they will not schedule international games during the WPL, which is set to move from its current February-March window to January-February 2026 onwards, according to the new women’s Future Tours Programme (FTP).
Future Adjustments and Player Availability
To mitigate the impact of such clashes, other major T20 leagues like The Hundred (August) and the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) (November) have been given separate windows in the FTP, which runs until 2029. This strategic alignment aims to ensure that players can commit to both international and domestic commitments without overlapping schedules. These changes reflect a growing recognition of the importance of women’s cricket and the need to balance player availability across different formats and leagues.
Conclusion: Balancing National and Club Commitments
The early departure of Chamari Athapaththu from the WPL highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing national and club commitments in women’s cricket. While her absence will be felt by UPW, her commitment to Sri Lanka’s national team underscores the importance of international representation. Meanwhile, the commitment of players like Amelia Kerr to the WPL demonstrates the league’s growing significance in the women’s cricket landscape. The ongoing efforts to adjust schedules and create separate windows for various leagues and international series show a positive step towards ensuring that players can participate fully in both their national and club commitments.
