Women's Big Bash League 11 schedule announced; Melbourne Renegades, Brisbane Heat to play opening fixture

Melbourne Renegades and Brisbane Heat are set to kick off the Women Big Bash League (WBBL) 11 season with a rematch of last year's final, as the tournament gets underway with a blockbuster triple header across Brisbane and Perth, according to Cricket Australia website.

Cricket Australia on Friday unveiled the 43-game, 35-day schedule for WBBL|11, which is set to begin from November 9 and culminate with the final scheduled on December 13. The season is starting a fortnight later than usual this summer due to the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup in India later this year, which culminates on November 2.

Last season's runners-up, Brisbane, will be out for revenge when they host the reigning champions at Allan Border Field on the opening day of the tournament. A showdown between fellow WBBL|10 finalists Hobart Hurricanes and Sydney Thunder will follow at the same venue, before the action will head west where the Scorchers will host Sydney Sixers at the redeveloped WACA Ground to cap off the day one triple-header.

Melbourne Stars will then host the Adelaide Strikers the following day at the CitiPower Centre, as all eight clubs begin their seasons in the opening two days. There will be no change to the structure of the finals series, which differs from the BBL.

The team that finishes on top of the table at the end of the regular season will still host the final on Saturday, December 13. The sides finishing third and fourth will meet in the Knockout on December 9, to be hosted by the third-ranked side. The winner of that game will then travel to play the second-ranked qualifier in The Challenger on December 11 for a spot in the final.

"We're delighted with this action-packed schedule, which starts with a blockbuster triple-header and features the marquee matches our fans have come to love," Cricket Australia's General Manager, Big Bash Leagues, Alistair Dobson, said.

"With the WBBL season ending as the BBL starts, the Big Bash Leagues are cemented as the heartbeat of summer, with cricket to feature almost every night from November 9 through until Sunday, January 25," Dobson added. (ANI)