MUMBAI: Australia's ace opener Beth Mooney experienced another high when she was named captain of the Gujarat Giants, her Women's Premier League team, a day after scoring 74 not out in the final of the Women's T20 World Cup 2023 and winning the 'Player of the Match' award.
Sneh Rana, an Indian offspinner and all-rounder, will take Mooney's place.
Mooney is one of the game's most consistent batters and the No. 1 women's batter in the T20Is. She has helped Australia win multiple World Cups, including the Women's ODI World Cup in 2022 and the Women's T20 World Cup in 2018. Additionally, she was a member of the Australian women's team that won the gold medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022.
Mooney has scored 2,350 runs in 83 T20I matches, including two centuries and 17 half-centuries in Women's T20Is, and has won the Women's Big Bash League three times.
Mooney was quoted in a release from the Adani Gujarat Giants as saying, "I am delighted to be given the opportunity to lead the Adani Gujarat Giants in the historic Women's Premier League's inaugural edition in 2023."
"The team is eager to get started quickly and play entertaining and effective cricket in the WPL's first season, which we hope will win us the trophy. "Having Mithali Raj, Rachael Haynes, and Nooshin Al Khadeer as key members of the team as well as Sneh as my deputy will be absolutely fantastic," Mooney added.
Rana, who was born in Dehradun and has played for Velocity in the Women's T20 Challenge, has taken 24 wickets in 25 T20I matches with an economy rate of 6.21.
"Being the Adani Gujarat Giants' vice-captain is a huge responsibility, and I'm excited to put on a great show for the Women's Premier League's first season. "Rana stated, "I hope to lead a strong and talented squad during the tournament, along with captain Beth Mooney."
"Having Beth Mooney as our captain and Sneh Rana as our vice-captain is fantastic. I anticipate that the team will put their best foot forward because both players have a very long history. The Adani Gujarat Giants' head coach, Rachael Haynes, stated, "We are excited for our new innings."
When the Adani Gujarat Giants take on the Mumbai Indians on March 4 at 7.30 p.m., they will play their first game on the first day of the league.