The 2020–21 Women's Big Bash League season or WBBL|06 was the sixth season of the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL), the semi-professional women's Twenty20 domestic cricket competition in Australia. The tournament took place from 25 October to 28 November 2020. It was played entirely in Sydney due to ongoing state border restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Brisbane Heat entered the season as double defending champions, having won back-to-back titles in WBBL04 and WBBL05. The Heat finished the regular season with seven-straight wins but suffered an "epic meltdown" in a twelve-run semi-final loss against the Sydney Thunder, ending their hunt for a three-peat.
In the final, held at North Sydney Oval, the Sydney Thunder defeated the Melbourne Stars by seven wickets with 38 balls remaining to win their second Women's Big Bash League title. Shabnim Ismail was awarded Player of the Match after taking key early wickets against the top-qualifying Stars team, leading to a "thumping" victory for the Thunder.
Sophie Devine was named Player of the Tournament in her first season with the Perth Scorchers, earning the same award she won in WBBL|05 while playing for the Adelaide Strikers.
Teams Each squad was made up of 15 active players. Teams could sign up to five 'marquee players', with a maximum of three of those from overseas. Marquees were classed as any overseas player, or a local player who holds a Cricket Australia national contract at the start of the WBBL signing period.
The table below lists each team's marquee players and other key details for the season. TeamCoachCaptainAustralian representativesOverseas playersAdelaide StrikersLuke WilliamsSuzie BatesTahlia McGrathMegan SchuttSarah CoyteAmanda-Jade Wellington Suzie Bates Stafanie Taylor Laura Wolvaardt Katie PerkinsBrisbane HeatAshley NoffkeJess JonassenJess JonassenDelissa KimminceGrace Harris Nadine de Klerk Maddy Green Amelia KerrHobart HurricanesSalliann BriggsCorinne HallNicola CareyTayla VlaeminckNaomi StalenbergBelinda Vakarewa Hayley Matthews Rachel Priest Chloe Tryon Hayley JensenMelbourne RenegadesLachlan StevensAmy SatterthwaiteSophie MolineuxGeorgia WarehamJess DuffinMolly Strano Lizelle Lee Amy Satterthwaite Lea Tahuhu Rosemary MairMelbourne StarsTrent WoodhillMeg LanningMeg LanningAnnabel SutherlandHolly FerlingErin OsborneElyse Villani Katherine Brunt Mignon du Preez Nat Sciver Rosemary MairPerth ScorchersShelley NitschkeSophie DevineBeth MooneyNicole BoltonHeather Graham Sophie Devine Sarah Glenn Amy Jones Lauren DownSydney SixersBen SawyerEllyse PerryAshleigh GardnerAlyssa HealyEllyse PerrySarah AleyErin BurnsLauren Cheatle Marizanne Kapp Dane van NiekerkSydney ThunderTrevor GriffinRachael HaynesRachael Haynes Tammy Beaumont Shabnim Ismail Heather Knight
Personnel changes
Local players The table below lists local player movements made ahead of the season. Player Departed → Joined Notes Ref(s)Meg LanningPerth Scorchers→Melbourne Stars Australian marquee Outgoing captain (14–10 win–loss record) Returning to the Melbourne StarsBeth Mooney Brisbane Heat→Perth Scorchers Australian marqueeSammy-Jo JohnsonBrisbane Heat→Sydney ThunderErin Fazackerley Hobart Hurricanes→Melbourne RenegadesLauren SmithSydney Sixers→Sydney ThunderGeorgia RedmaynePerth Scorchers→Brisbane HeatThird WBBL team (previously played for the Hobart Hurricanes)Nicola Hancock Melbourne Stars→Brisbane HeatFourth WBBL team (previously played for the Melbourne Renegades and Hobart Hurricanes)Angela ReakesMelbourne Stars→Sydney SixersReturning to the Sydney SixersMadeline PennaMelbourne Stars→Adelaide StrikersReplacement player in WBBL|05Lisa GriffithSydney Thunder→Sydney SixersBhavisha Devchand–→Melbourne StarsPreviously a replacement player for the Perth ScorchersNaomi Stalenberg Sydney Thunder→Hobart HurricanesErica KershawMelbourne Renegades→Hobart HurricanesChloe RaffertyMelbourne Stars→Hobart HurricanesReplacement player in WBBL|05Kirby ShortBrisbane Heat→– Retired Outgoing captain (34–19 win–loss record)Kristen BeamsMelbourne Stars→–RetiredAlex BlackwellSydney Thunder→–RetiredRene FarrellSydney Thunder→–Retired
Overseas players The table below lists overseas player movements made ahead of the season. Player Departed → Joined Notes Ref(s) Rachel PriestSydney Thunder→Hobart HurricanesThird WBBL team (previously played for the Melbourne Renegades) Lizelle LeeMelbourne Stars→Melbourne Renegades Sophie DevineAdelaide Strikers→Perth Scorchers Laura Wolvaardt–→Adelaide StrikersPreviously played for the Brisbane Heat Amy Satterthwaite–→Melbourne RenegadesReturning from maternity leave Nadine de Klerk–→Brisbane Heat Nat SciverPerth Scorchers→Melbourne StarsReturning to the Melbourne Stars Katherine Brunt–→Melbourne StarsPreviously played for the Perth Scorchers Sarah Glenn–→Perth Scorchers Heather KnightHobart Hurricanes→Sydney Thunder Tammy BeaumontMelbourne Renegades→Sydney ThunderThird WBBL team (previously played for the Adelaide Strikers) Hayley Jensen–→Hobart HurricanesFourth WBBL team (previously played for the Melbourne Stars, Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers) Lauren WinfieldAdelaide Strikers→–Replacement player in WBBL|05 Fran WilsonHobart Hurricanes→– Danielle WyattMelbourne Renegades→– Chamari AtapattuMelbourne Renegades→–Replacement player in WBBL|05 Katey MartinMelbourne Stars→– Kim GarthPerth Scorchers→– Hollie ArmitageSydney Sixers→–Replacement player in WBBL|05 Nida DarSydney Thunder→–
Replacement players Designed to overcome bio-security rules that prevent fresh players being brought into the hub, the replacement player pool includes four New Zealanders and 16 locals, all living inside the WBBL Village. Each player trains with a host club but can be signed by any team, and they are released back into the pool once the original replaced player returns from their relevant injury or availability issue. It is therefore possible that a player from the replacement pool finds themselves lining up for multiple teams throughout the season.
Replacement players to appear in one game or more during the season included:
New Zealand's Rosemary Mair played for the Melbourne Stars on 25 October and 17 November, replacing Katherine Brunt (managed). Mair also played five games for the Melbourne Renegades from 3–14 November, replacing Lea Tahuhu (side strain). New Zealand's Katie Perkins played for the Adelaide Strikers on 26 October, replacing Suzie Bates (shoulder). Gabby Sutcliffe played for the Sydney Thunder on 1 November, replacing Hannah Darlington (ankle/shin). New Zealand's Lauren Down played seven matches for the Perth Scorchers from 1–11 November, replacing Amy Jones (quad injury). Anna Lanning played three games for the Melbourne Stars from 10 to 22 November, replacing Georgia Gall (finger). Amy Yates played six games for the Melbourne Renegades from 14 to 22 November, replacing Georgia Wareham (shin). Rebecca Carter played one game for the Melbourne Renegades on 22 November, replacing Maitlan Brown (hamstring).
Leadership Coaching changes made ahead of the season included: Shelley Nitschke was appointed head coach of the Perth Scorchers, replacing Lisa Keightley who departed to take on the role as coach of England. As part of Cricket Victoria's cost-cutting organisational restructure, the Melbourne Renegades did not renew the contract of head coach Tim Coyle despite achieving two consecutive finals appearances. Lachlan Stevens, who coached the Renegades in their first two seasons, was announced as Coyle's replacement. David Hemp parted ways with the Melbourne Stars and was initially replaced as head coach by Leah Poulton. However, a month after her appointment, Poulton resigned from the position to undertake the role of Head of Female Cricket at Cricket NSW. The Stars then announced Trent Woodhill would take over the top coaching job. Captaincy changes made ahead of the season included:
Jess Jonassen was appointed captain of the Brisbane Heat, replacing Kirby Short (34–19 win–loss record) who retired from cricket at the end of WBBL|05. The Perth Scorchers appointed new recruit Sophie Devine as captain, replacing Meg Lanning (14–10). Amy Satterthwaite resumed her role as captain of the Melbourne Renegades, after Jess Duffin (7–7) stepped into the position for a season. Meg Lanning resumed her role as captain of the Melbourne Stars, taking over from Elyse Villani (2–12). Captaincy changes made during the season included:
Megan Schutt stood in as acting captain of the Adelaide Strikers for 13 games, replacing Suzie Bates who was sidelined with a shoulder injury. Beth Mooney stood in as acting captain of the Perth Scorchers for two games, replacing Sophie Devine who was sidelined with a back injury.
Points table
Win–loss table Below is a summary of results for each team's fourteen regular season matches, plus finals where applicable, in chronological order. A team's opponent for any given match is listed above the margin of victory/defeat. Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 SF F XX6th X2nd() XX8th XX7th 1st() X4th() XX5th 3rd() Team's results→ Won Tied Lost Last updated: 28 November 2020
Fixtures Cricket Australia (CA) released the original fixture for WBBL|06 on 15 July 2020 with the stipulation that it was subject to any change that may be required as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. On 4 September, CA announced changes to the schedule which would see the tournament begin a week later, on October 25, and be played entirely in Sydney as a result of ongoing uncertainty surrounding state border restrictions.
On 25 September, CA released the revised schedule, confirming the five venues to be used for all regular season matches: North Sydney Oval, Hurstville Oval, Drummoyne Oval, Sydney Showground Stadium and Blacktown International Sportspark. CA also revealed it would create a "WBBL Village" in Sydney Olympic Park to accommodate players and staff from all eight teams for the duration of the tournament. As per all previous seasons, WBBL|06 consisted of a 56-match double round-robin, followed by a finals series featuring the top four qualifiers.
On 16 October, admission tickets were released to the public for all weekend games at North Sydney Oval and Sydney Showground Stadium, as well as Wednesday games at Blacktown International Sportspark. All matches held at Drummoyne Oval and Hurstville Oval would remain closed to the general public. CA also announced several minor scheduling changes to five fixtures: the opening day clash between the Renegades and the Stars swapped times and venues with the encounter between the Scorchers and the Heat; the times and venues of the 15 November Renegades–Stars and Hurricanes–Heat matches were altered; the start time of the Thunder–Scorchers match on 15 November was brought forward.
On 28 October, four additional changes to the fixture were announced. The Sixers–Heat and Thunder–Renegades games on 17 November, as well as the Strikers–Renegades and Thunder–Sixers games on 18 November, were moved to Sydney Showground Stadium, allowing the touring Indian men's team to utilise a bio-secure training environment at Blacktown International Sportspark. The rescheduled matches on 18 November would remain open to the public.
On 11 November, Cricket Australia announced the finals series would be played in prime time TV slots for the first occasion in the league's history. The semi-finals (on 25 and 26 November) and the final (on 28 November) were all scheduled at North Sydney Oval under lights. Additionally, a reserve day on 29 November was allocated in the event of weather preventing a result in the final's original fixture.
All times are local time
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5