WBBL Season 9 (2023-24): Adelaide Strikers Win Three-Run Thriller at Adelaide Oval, Amanda-Jade Wellington Stars

Adelaide Strikers won WBBL Season 9 on 2 December 2023, defeating Brisbane Heat by just 3 runs in a tense final at Adelaide Oval. Strikers posted 125/5 from their 20 overs; Heat fell agonisingly short at 122/8, unable to close out the 3-run gap despite a competitive chase. Amanda-Jade Wellington — the South Australian leg-spinner who has been one of Australia's most effective women's T20 bowlers across multiple WBBL seasons — was named Player of the Match. The victory was Adelaide Strikers' second WBBL title.

Amanda-Jade Wellington: Player of the Match

Amanda-Jade Wellington's match-winning contribution in the WBBL Season 9 final earned her the Player of the Match award in a match where the margin between victory and defeat was just 3 runs. Wellington — who has developed from a promising legspinner into one of Australia's most reliable T20 bowlers across multiple WBBL seasons and international appearances — consistently produced economical spells and took wickets at key moments throughout the competition. Her leg-spin, wrist-spin variations, and the ability to bowl in high-pressure overs without losing control of length made her the pivotal figure in Adelaide Strikers' title-winning campaign.

Chamari Athapaththu: Player of the Tournament

Sri Lanka's Chamari Athapaththu (Sydney Thunder) was named WBBL Season 9's Player of the Tournament — a remarkable award given that she was reportedly passed over in the initial player draft and had to be signed through alternative means before the competition began. Athapaththu, the most accomplished women's cricketer ever produced by Sri Lanka, used the WBBL to display the full range of her batting: powerful left-handed strokeplay, excellent running between the wickets, and the ability to anchor an innings or accelerate depending on the situation. Her tournament award from a team that did not win the title demonstrated how dominant her individual season had been.

Adelaide Strikers in Context

Adelaide Strikers' WBBL Season 9 title was their second championship (their first was WBBL Season 8 in 2022-23). The Strikers are South Australia's franchise in both the men's BBL and women's WBBL, playing home matches at Adelaide Oval — one of Australian cricket's most beautiful venues and a ground that has traditionally suited spin bowling in the afternoon session. The 3-run final margin was the second-narrowest in WBBL history and ensured the Adelaide Oval final was one of the most tensely contested in the competition's short history.