Marizanne Kapp withdraws from WBBL 12 to prioritise South Africa duties
Synopsis
Marizanne Kapp — one of only a handful of players to have appeared in all 11 WBBL seasons — is sitting out WBBL 12, and the reason is the packed international calendar South Africa faces: a Test vs India four days after the WBBL ends, the inaugural Women's Champions Trophy, and then a full series against Australia. It is a sign of how crowded women's cricket's global schedule has become.
Key Takeaways
Marizanne Kapp has withdrawn from WBBL 12 , opting out of the final year of her three-year contract with the Melbourne Stars .
South Africa face a Test match against India on 9 December , just four days after the WBBL concludes, followed by three ODIs and three T20Is.
Kapp has featured in all 11 previous WBBL seasons across four franchises; her 2026 campaign was affected by illness and injury.
The Stars have replaced her by retaining England pair Dani Gibson and Amy Jones for WBBL 12 .
Amy Jones scored 234 runs at a top score of 59 in WBBL 11; Dani Gibson hit 170 runs at a strike rate of 139.34 last season.
South Africa will also feature in the inaugural Women's Champions Trophy in February 2026 and host Australia from March to April 2026 .
South Africa all-rounder Marizanne Kapp has pulled out of the upcoming Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) Season 12, choosing to prioritise a packed international schedule over the final year of her three-year contract with the Melbourne Stars. The withdrawal leaves the Stars without one of women's cricket's most accomplished overseas players heading into WBBL 12.
Why Kapp Is Stepping Away
Kapp's decision is driven by an unusually loaded international calendar for South Africa. The Proteas women open with a Test match against India on 9 December — just four days after the WBBL season concludes — before competing in the inaugural Women's Champions Trophy in February and then hosting Australia in a multi-format series from March to April. The December Test is part of a broader multi-format series against India that also includes three ODIs and three T20Is.
Kapp, who signed with the Stars ahead of WBBL 10, has featured in all 11 previous seasons of the competition across four franchises, making her one of the few players to have been present throughout the league's history. Her 2026 WBBL campaign was disrupted by illness and injury, adding context to her choice to reset ahead of a demanding international stretch.
What the Melbourne Stars Said
James Rosengarten, the Stars' general manager, confirmed the club understood Kapp's priorities while acknowledging the loss of quality her absence represents.
'We are of course disappointed to be without someone of Marizanne's calibre this season,' Rosengarten said. 'She is one of the world's finest all-round players but we understand her priorities at this stage and it will present another list opportunity for the Stars.'
Stars Move Fast: Gibson and Jones Return
The Stars have responded promptly, securing the return of England duo Dani Gibson and Amy Jones for WBBL 12. Both players made an immediate impression during their debut seasons with the Melbourne-based franchise last year, bolstering both the batting line-up and the bowling attack.
Amy Jones, 33, scored 234 runs from 11 matches in WBBL 11 with a top score of 59, establishing herself as a dependable number three batter. She also distinguished herself behind the stumps as one of the competition's premier wicket-keepers, finishing as the team's second-highest run-scorer that season.
Dani Gibson, who has represented England in 35 T20 internationals, returns for her third consecutive season with the Stars. The pace-bowling all-rounder is regarded as one of the league's most destructive power hitters, striking the boundary on 26 occasions in WBBL 11, scoring 170 runs at a strike rate of 139.34.
'It was a priority for us to have both Dani and Amy return this season, so we're really pleased with this outcome,' Rosengarten said. 'They are both very talented cricketers in multiple ways, which is so valuable in this format. We are bolstering our batting line-up with two different skillsets, while also gaining a wicketkeeper and bowler,' he added.
The Bigger Picture for Women's Cricket
Kapp's withdrawal reflects a growing tension in the women's game between lucrative franchise leagues and the expanding international calendar. With the inaugural Women's Champions Trophy on the horizon and bilateral series expanding, national boards are increasingly competing with T20 leagues for player availability — a dynamic that has long shaped men's cricket and is now reshaping the women's game. How leagues and boards navigate these scheduling conflicts will be a defining structural question for women's cricket in the years ahead.
Point of View
Where boards have had decades to negotiate these tensions, women's cricket has not yet developed the governance frameworks to manage them. The South Africa schedule — with a Test beginning four days after the WBBL ends — is not a coincidence to be managed quietly; it is a planning failure that deserves scrutiny. Leagues and boards alike will need to coordinate scheduling before the conflict becomes routine.
NationPress
15 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has Marizanne Kapp withdrawn from WBBL 12?
Kapp has stepped back from WBBL 12 to prioritise South Africa's international commitments, which begin with a Test match against India on 9 December — just four days after the WBBL season ends. The decision means she will not play the final year of her three-year contract with the Melbourne Stars.
What is South Africa's international schedule after the WBBL?
South Africa will play a Test, three ODIs, and three T20Is against India starting 9 December 2025, then participate in the inaugural Women's Champions Trophy in February 2026, before hosting Australia in a multi-format series from March to April 2026.
Who are the Melbourne Stars' overseas replacements for WBBL 12?
The Stars have secured the return of England duo Dani Gibson and Amy Jones for WBBL 12. Jones scored 234 runs at a top score of 59 in WBBL 11, while Gibson scored 170 runs at a strike rate of 139.34, hitting 26 boundaries.
How significant is Marizanne Kapp to women's cricket?
Kapp is one of women's cricket's foremost all-rounders and one of the few players to have featured in all 11 WBBL seasons, representing four different franchises. She is considered among the best all-round players in the world, according to Melbourne Stars' general manager James Rosengarten.
What is the inaugural Women's Champions Trophy?
The inaugural Women's Champions Trophy is a new international tournament scheduled for February 2026, in which South Africa are set to participate. It forms part of the expanding international women's cricket calendar that influenced Kapp's decision to withdraw from the WBBL.
