Sydney Thunder Add Nadine de Klerk Ahead of WBBL 12

Sydney Thunder have strengthened their line-up ahead of the upcoming Women's Big Bash League season by signing South African all-rounder Nadine de Klerk to a one-year contract. Her move also marks the end of her spell with the Brisbane Heat.

The 26-year-old is set to be available for the whole tournament, including the final. She will join England internationals Heather Knight and Lauren Bell as the club's overseas players. The signing gives the Western Sydney franchise a proven all-round option as it gears up for the new season.

De Klerk made her competition debut in 2020 and went on to play 33 Women's Big Bash League matches for the Brisbane Heat. Her most recent campaign was among her finest in the tournament, with 158 runs and five wickets. She was named the Heat's Most Valuable Player for that season.

In a club statement, de Klerk said, "Deciding to come here was quite straightforward. I always aim to make a big impact, whether it's batting lower in the order or taking wickets. I feel we have a really good group and a well-balanced squad."

Her arrival brings her back together with familiar faces from the Royal Challengers Bengaluru team that won the Women's Premier League title earlier this year. De Klerk won that first Women's Premier League trophy with Bell and Australian batter Georgia Voll, who are both set to play for Thunder in the upcoming BBL season.

Reflecting on that success, de Klerk said, "Playing alongside Georgia and Lauren at RCB and lifting that trophy created some wonderful memories. They are world-class players, and we've seen what they have achieved. They played a massive role in winning that competition. Lauren has been brilliant with the new ball over the past few years, and Georgia is still so young that it's strange to think about what she has already done. I'm really excited to be part of Sydney Thunder this year."

The signing comes after a busy stretch on the global T20 circuit. Following the Women's Premier League, de Klerk played for the London Spirit in The Hundred before debuting in the Caribbean Premier League with the Guyana Amazon Warriors.

She was also part of the South Africa squad that reached the semi-finals of the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup in July, only to lose to England at The Oval.

De Klerk has featured in 87 T20 internationals for South Africa, scoring 852 runs and claiming 64 wickets.