The Hundred 2023: Harmanpreet Kaur set to play for new team, Smriti Mandhana retained by Southern Brave in player draft

Smriti Mandhana-Harmanpreet Kaur (Source: Twitter)

Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana, the two Indians selected for The Hundred cricket tournament, will play for Trent Rockets and Southern Brave, respectively, in the upcoming edition of the league. The 2023 edition of the franchise 100-ball cricket tournament will begin on August 1, with Trent Rockets taking on Southern Brave in both the men’s and women’s competition.

While India's opening batter was retained by her former team, Trent signed the India women's team captain during the first-ever Women's Hundred Draft on Thursday (March 23). Kaur had played the inaugural season of the tournament with Manchester Originals but had an average season as her team finished fifth with three wins from eight matches. The 34-year-old then missed the 2022 season after the team released her to vacate an overseas slot.

Some big names went unsold

Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, the prime batters of Pakistan cricket, were not picked by any franchise. Bangladesh star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, former West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard and Australian duo of Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa also failed to find any buyers. New Zealand speedster Trent Boult also went unsold in the eight-team tournament.

Pakistan pace sensation Shaheen Afridi, who recently led Lahore Qalandars to the Pakistan Super League title, was bought by Welsh Fire alongside his national teammate Haris Rauf.

Meanwhile, on the eve of the tournament draft, Australia's star pacer Mitchell Starc pulled out of the upcoming edition of the league. The left-arm pacer has often been in the news for prioritizing his national team and was in line for the tournament's top draft pick. The 33-year-old was the leading wicket-taker in Australia's recently concluded ODI series against India, in which they won the series 2-1. Starc took 8 wickets in 3 matches, including a match-winning five-wicket haul in the second ODI in Visakhapatnam.

South Africa's Anrich Nortje, Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs and Australia's Jhye Richardson are other players who are set to miss the action in England. Some of the women stars like Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Meg Lanning, Ashleigh Gardner and Tahlia McGrath will also not mark their presence at the event.