Elyse Villani announces retirement from WBBL after leading Hobart Hurricanes to maiden title

New Delhi:

Hobart Hurricanes women scripted history in the WBBL (Women’s Big Bash League) 2025. Taking on Perth Scorchers in the summit clash of the tournament, Hurricanes put forth a stellar performance and clinched their very first WBBL title. With the title secured, Hobart Hurricanes skipper Elyse Villani took centre stage and announced her retirement from the tournament. 

The former Australia cricketer, with 99 international matches under her belt, called time on her WBBL career after leading Hurricanes to their maiden title. It is worth noting that Hurricanes registered an eight-wicket victory against Scorchers to lift the WBBL title. 

She announced her decision to retire from the tournament after the game. "It's a fairytale ending and in elite sport it's very rare to have that. It has been playing on the back of my mind this season, and I was hoping this could be the way it finished,” Villani said in the post-match presentation ceremony. 

"I was 80% sure this was the way it was going to go to retire after the game, but as soon as we won, I knew this was the moment,” she added.

Notably, Villani has played 149 WBBL games, amassing 3,841 runs and taking 3 wickets. Throughout her stellar career, she represented three sides in the tournament as well. 

Villani heaped praise on her side following title victory

Furthermore, Villani lauded Hobart Hurricanes for the performance that they put in throughout the season, which helped them clinch the title. 

"Sometimes you can have a really good list and feel the pressure of that list. But what this group has done really well is that at different points in the season, different people performed. Cricket has been something that has been a big part of my life and something I'll miss a lot but at the same time you can't sort of live this dream forever,” she said. 

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