In a statement released by Northern Districts, she said she was “super excited” about the opportunity. Athapaththu will join the Northern Brave camp at the end of December.
“Chamari’s all-round skills will be a great addition to Super Smash and will surely excite the crowd with bat and ball in hand. It will be fantastic to have a player of her skills on the park with us.”
A more than useful spin-off, Athapaththu also has 68 wickets in international cricket.
“There is no doubt that his exciting skill set and destructive X-factor will be a great addition to our team but, equally importantly, to the competition as a whole.”
Ian Sandbrook, General Manager of Performance and Talent, Northern Districts
Easily Sri Lanka’s most popular cricketer, Athapaththu has played in the Women’s CPL, for the Guyana Amazon Warriors, as well as the FairBreak Invitational T20 tournament and the Women’s T20 Challenge. In the WBBL, Thunder is her third team, after becoming out of the Melbourne Renegades and Scorchers in previous seasons.
“We can’t wait for a world-class player like Chamari to join the Northern Brave for this season’s Super Smash competition,” said Ian Sandbrook, Northern Districts general manager of performance and talent. “There’s no doubt that his exciting skill set and destructive X-factor will be a great addition to our team, but just as importantly, to the competition as a whole.
“We also know that Chamari will be a great role model and leader within our environment, and imparting these behaviors to our talented young team is another important step in making the Northern Brave the best performance environment in the country.”
Northern Brave’s Super Smash campaign begins on December 22 as part of a double-header with the Brave men’s team taking on Central Districts’ Hinds (women) and Stags (men) at Seddon Park. Athapaththu is expected to be available for selection for the match against Wellington Blaze on January 2.
