Ellyse Perry retained by Birmingham Phoenix ahead of Women's Hundred 2026

Ellyse Perry will return to Birmingham Phoenix for a fifth season in this year's Women's Hundred after the franchise announced her retention on Wednesday.

Star Australia allrounder Perry has featured for Phoenix since 2022, accumulating 545 runs and striking at 127.03, as well as contributing with the ball when called upon.

"I'm delighted to be returning to Birmingham Phoenix for the 2026 season," Perry said. "The Hundred has been such a wonderful addition to the cricket landscape, and provided so many wonderful opportunities for the further development of the women's game. The Phoenix has one of the most passionate fanbases in the competition, and it has been a true privilege to experience the home support at Edgbaston."

Ali Maiden, Birmingham Phoenix Women's Head Coach, said: "Ellyse is a once-in-a-generation talent whose impact extends far beyond the numbers on the scorecard. She embodies professionalism, skill and competitive spirit, and we're incredibly proud she'll be part of our Phoenix Women squad again in 2026.

"Her presence elevates everyone around her, and we know she'll be pivotal to our campaign. We are aiming to recruit an exciting, athletic and energetic squad, so having somebody like Ellyse who embodies those characteristics is priceless for the long-term success of the Birmingham Phoenix."

Perry, 35, was one of two high-profile Australian withdrawals from the 2026 edition of the WPL, which starts on Friday, alongside Annabel Sutherland, with both citing personal reasons last month. They were part of Australia's World Cup side which bowed out in the semi-finals to eventual champions India.

Perry had been with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for all three seasons of the WPL, and was retained for INR 2 crore (£165,000/A$330,000) for this season. She is the second-highest run-scorer in WPL history, and played a key role in helping RCB lift the title in 2024. Sutherland, meanwhile, played for Delhi Capitals over the past two seasons after representing Gujarat Giants in the inaugural edition. She was initially retained for INR 2.2 crore ahead of WPL 2026.

Perry has 347 international caps across formats. She was the fourth-highest run-scorer in the recently completed WBBL season, where she scored a 71-ball 111 for Sydney Sixers in what turned out to be their penultimate game before losing the Challenger to Perth Scorchers. Perry is currently playing for Wellington in the Women's Super Smash in New Zealand.

Birmingham Phoenix finished second from the bottom of the table in the past two editions of the Women's Hundred, having achieved their best result in the inaugural season in 2021, when they lost the Eliminator to Oval Invincibles.

This year's Hundred will be the first under private investment. The eight men and women's teams must finalise their retentions by January 16, ahead of the inaugural auctions in March. The Women's Hundred will run from July 21 to August 16, after England host the Women's T20 World Cup from June 12 to July 5, and the first ever Women's Test at Lord's, between England and India, from July 10-13.