Sthalekar comes out of retirement for WBBL

Lisa Sthalekar will come out of retirement to play for the Sydney Sixers in the inaugural Women's Big Bash League tournament this summer.

Sthalekar, 36, retired in 2013 as one of Australia's most accomplished women's players of all time, and as the only Australian to have scored 1000 runs and taken 100 wickets in women's one-day internationals.

During her 12-year international career, Sthalekar was part of four Australian World Cup-winning squads as well as two Ashes-winning teams.

"I'm really excited, the fact that I get to put on this cool gear and to play cricket with my mates again is going to be a lot of fun," Sthalekar said. "I didn't want to give up this opportunity with the Women's Big Bash, it's a real credit to Cricket Australia and the state associations for giving the girls this opportunity.

"It's such an exciting competition that I wanted to be a part of it and because I'd retired only a few years earlier I thought that I might still have an opportunity to give back to the game but also work with some of the players that I enjoyed watching develop and grow up, especially in the Cricket NSW programs, but also to play with my mates again."

Sixers General Manager Dominic Remond said Sthalekar would be a valuable presence for the team both on and off the field.

"It is a terrific coup to coax Lisa out of retirement and have her wealth of knowledge around the Club," Remond said. "Lisa is one of the best female cricketers Australia has produced and will play a vital role in the success on and off the field."