Elyse Villani Ends WBBL Career with Championship Win for Hobart Hurricanes
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Elyse Villani, former Australia player, retires from WBBL after leading the Hobart Hurricanes to their first title, defeating Perth Scorchers.
Hobart Hurricanes captain Elyse Villani has announced her retirement from the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) after leading the team to its first-ever championship title.
The former Australian international's career concluded on a high note as the Hurricanes secured an eight-wicket victory over the Perth Scorchers at Bellerive Oval on Saturday. A crowd of 5000 fans watched the Hurricanes lift both the BBL and WBBL trophies.
Villani, 36, who represented Australia in 99 games, revealed her decision to retire after the match. "It's a fairytale ending, which is rare in elite sport," she said. "I had been considering it this season, hoping it could end this way."
She added, "I was 80% sure I would retire after the game, but the win confirmed it."
Villani has competed in all 11 WBBL seasons, previously playing for the Perth Scorchers and Melbourne Stars. She was a runner-up three times before joining the Hurricanes in the 2022-23 season. The Hurricanes had struggled in previous years, finishing last in three of the five seasons before Villani's arrival. Since then, the team has strengthened its roster, losing only two games this year.
"Sometimes a good list can create pressure," Villani said. "But this group has excelled because different players have stepped up at different times during the season."
Villani also confirmed that she intends to continue playing for Tasmania.
