The London Spirit have confirmed the inclusion of Australian all-rounder Charli Knott in their Women’s Hundred squad for the upcoming 2025 season, stepping in for India’s Deepti Sharma, who has withdrawn to manage her workload.
Sharma, a crucial figure in Spirit’s victorious 2024 campaign, famously sealing the final with a six, opted out of the tournament citing the need to balance her playing commitments. Her exit marks a significant shift, as it leaves The Hundred without any Indian players contracted for the 2025 edition, a notable development considering the rising influence of Indian talent in global franchise leagues.
She was a standout for the Spirit last season, amassing 212 runs in just 6 innings, striking at 132.50, and scalped 8 wickets in as many bowling outings. In T20I cricket, she has scored 1093 runs in 80 innings and scalped 144 wickets from 124 bowling outings, and notably, in India’s ongoing tour of England has scalped 6 wickets in three T20Is.
Knott’s inclusion is part of a wider overhaul within the London Spirit camp, which includes England’s Charlie Dean stepping up as captain in place of the injured Heather Knight, and Australia’s Grace Harris being brought in to replace Meg Lanning.
The team has also seen a change in leadership off the field, with Chris Liddle taking over as head coach from Ashley Noffke. These changes reflect both tactical repositioning and an urgent need to rebuild a core unit after the withdrawal of multiple senior figures.
Knott previously debuted and played for Southern Brave and has amassed 32 runs and picked up 1 wicket playing 3 innings. Currently representing Hampshire women’s cricket team in the Women’s T20 Blast, 2025, she has picked up 2 wickets, playing 7 T20 Blast. However, with the bat, she has racked up 235 runs, at an average of 47.00, a strike rate of 121.76, and the highest of 74*.
Commenting on her signing, Knott shared, “I can’t wait to take the field with the London Spirit this year. Having experienced the excitement, The Hundred has to offer during my short stint last year, I am very much looking forward to playing again this year. It will be a great opportunity to play with and against the best cricketers in the world at the Home of Cricket.”
Dean’s leadership will be under the microscope as she attempts to steer a transitioning team through a competitive field, especially after their dominant performance last year.
While the inclusion of dynamic players like Knott and Harris injects fresh energy, the absence of Indian stars such as Sharma might affect the tournament’s appeal among South Asian audiences, raising broader questions about international player availability and workload management in an increasingly crowded cricket calendar.
As London Spirit prepare to defend their title with a revamped squad, all eyes will be on how the new leadership and overseas talent rise to the occasion in this evolving chapter of The Hundred.
