The Perth Scorchers enter the 12th edition of the Women’s Big Bash League, running from 29th October to 5th December 2026, with unfinished business. Sophie Devine’s side finished third in WBBL 11 with 12 points from 10 games, recording six wins and four defeats, before producing a strong late-season surge.
They beat the Melbourne Stars by 28 runs in the knockout at the W.A.C.A. on 9th December 2025 and edged the Sydney Sixers by 11 runs in the Challenger at North Sydney Oval two days later, only to fall eight wickets short against Elyse Villani’s Hobart Hurricanes in the final at Bellerive Oval on 13th December 2025. Having won their maiden title in WBBL 07 in 2021 and finished runners-up in 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2025, the Scorchers will view this season as another genuine opportunity to add a second championship title to the trophy cabinet.
Perth Scorchers squad for WBBL 12
Sophie Devine (C), Chloe Ainsworth, Amy Edgar, Mikayla Friday, Ebony Hoskin, Freya Kemp, Alana King, Katie Mack, Ines McKeon, Lilly Mills, Beth Mooney (WK), Taneale Peschel, Chloe Piparo, Fatima Sana, Ruby Strange
Perth Scorchers SWOT Analysis
Pre-Season Build-up
Perth have retained the core of the squad that reached last season’s final, while making smart additions to strengthen their depth. Beth Mooney, Alana King and Katie Mack remain locked in, with rising quick Chloe Ainsworth also secured. Devine returns as captain and overseas player, alongside England all-rounder Freya Kemp, while Pakistan captain Fatima Sana arrives as the third overseas signing for the opening eight games.
Sana’s arrival is particularly significant. The 24-year-old all-rounder is Pakistan’s massive contributor with the bat as well as with the ball in T20Is, and will make her WBBL debut this summer, becoming only the second Pakistani woman to play in the competition after Nida Dar’s 11 matches for Sydney Thunder in WBBL 05. The Scorchers have also regained Ines McKeon from the Melbourne Stars and welcomed back Taneale Peschel after two seasons with Sydney Thunder, although Maddy Darke’s move to the Sixers and the decision not to retain Paige Scholfield slightly alter their squad balance.
Strengths: A Well-balanced squad
The Scorchers possess one of the most balanced squads in WBBL 12, with experience, firepower and bowling variety spread across the squad and the potential starting 11. Katie Mack, Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine and Chloe Piparo are expected to form the backbone of the top order, while Mikayla Hinkley and Ines McKeon offer dependable backup options. Either Freya Kemp or Fatima Sana is likely to slot in at number five, with Taneale Peschel, Ruby Strange and Amy Edgar providing depth through the middle and lower order.
Beth Mooney’s form remains the greatest source of confidence. She was the leading run-scorer of WBBL 11, amassing 549 runs at an average of 45.75 and a strike rate of 136.90 in 13 innings, including three fifties and a century. Devine, meanwhile, led Perth’s attack with 15 wickets at an average of 23.73 and an economy of 8.09, including a four-wicket haul, and was jointly the third-highest wicket-taker in the tournament alongside Hobart’s Linsey Smith. At the W.A.C.A., the potential combination of Alana King, Chloe Ainsworth and Lilly Mills to round off the bowling attack gives the Scorchers a strong home-ground identity.
Areas of Concern: Onus on Alana King, Amy Edgar and Lilly Mills
Perth’s spin attack will lean heavily on Alana King, Amy Edgar and Lilly Mills, placing considerable responsibility on a trio that must deliver consistently across a demanding season. King is the clear leader of that group, with 84 wickets at 18.02 and an economy of 6.64 in 64 innings for the Scorchers, including a four-wicket haul and a five-wicket haul. Overall, she has taken 138 WBBL wickets at 20.88, while also contributing 696 runs at a strike rate of 109.26.
Lilly Mills arrives in good rhythm after taking seven wickets at 21.71 and an economy of 6.56 in the T20 Spring Challenge, where she was Perth’s leading wicket-taker. She has 55 WBBL wickets at 19.09, while Edgar took six wickets at 26.33 in the same Spring Challenge and has 42 WBBL wickets at 24.73. Their ability to complement King, particularly in the middle overs, could determine how well Perth control games.
Opportunities: Chloe Ainsworth & Taneale Peschel to unleash their credentials
Chloe Ainsworth and Taneale Peschel have a clear opportunity to expand their influence and give the Scorchers greater all-round flexibility. Ainsworth, 21, has already taken 40 wickets at 22.30 and an economy of 6.96 in 36 WBBL innings, while scoring 149 runs at a strike rate of 104.92. With her pace and growing confidence, she is well placed to lead Perth’s fast-bowling unit.
Peschel, 32, returns to the Scorchers orange with 64 wickets at 28.64 and an economy of 7.28 from 88 innings. Her batting remains an area for development, with just 120 runs at a strike rate of 93.75 in 29 innings, but a full season in familiar surroundings could help her sharpen that side of her game and provide valuable lower-order contributions.
Threat: Inexperience of overseas signings Freya Kemp and Fatima Sana
The biggest threat to Perth’s campaign could be the adjustment period facing their overseas all-rounders. Fatima Sana will be playing in the WBBL for the first time, and while her international pedigree is unquestioned, adapting quickly to Australian conditions and the intensity of the Big Bash will be crucial. Freya Kemp showed her batting potential in WBBL 11 with 193 runs at a strike rate of 147.32 and an average of 21.44 in 12 innings, but she is yet to bowl in the competition.
If Kemp and Sana settle quickly, Perth’s balance becomes even more formidable. If not, the burden on Mooney, Devine, King and the local core could grow. The Scorchers have the squad depth and recent final experience to go one better than last season, but their title hopes may hinge on how seamlessly their new overseas pieces fit into Devine’s system.
Perth Scorchers schedule for WBBL 2026
31st October 2026 (Saturday): Match 5: Vs Melbourne Renegades. W.A.C.A., Perth. 1:40 PM IST.
2nd November 2026 (Monday): Match 8: Vs Melbourne Stars. Junction Oval, Melbourne. 1:40 PM IST.
5th November 2026 (Thursday): Match 11: Vs Sydney Thunder. Drummoyne Oval, Sydney. 1:40 PM IST.
8th November 2026 (Sunday): Match 16: Vs Melbourne Stars. North Sydney Oval, Sydney. 11:40 AM IST.
11th November 2026 (Wednesday): Match 18: Vs Sydney Thunder. W.A.C.A., Perth. 1:40 PM IST.
14th November 2026 (Saturday): Match 22: Vs Adelaide Strikers. W.A.C.A., Perth. 1:40 PM IST.
19th November 2026 (Thursday): Match 26: Vs Hobart Hurricanes. Allen Border Field, Brisbane. 10:10 AM IST.
21st November 2026 (Saturday): Match 30: Vs Sydney Sixers. North Sydney Oval, Sydney. 10 AM IST.
27th November 2026 (Friday): Match 36: Vs Hobart Hurricanes. W.A.C.A., Perth. 3:40 PM IST.
29th November 2026 (Sunday): Match 39: Vs Brisbane Heat. Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide. 6:30 AM IST.
I am Yash Tailor, and I believe work should be driven by passion. Therefore, after completing my Engineering, I chose to work in the Cricket industry, my passion. My goal is to reach a stage where I truly enjoy what I do and give my best to every task with energy and purpose.
Source: femalecricket.com
