The Bulls are led by former Fiji Airways Fiji 7s head coach Ben Gollings, who has returned to familiar territory with a Select side focused on long-term development rather than short-term results.

Hobden hopes to share not only her knowledge of netball but also the sense of belonging and self-belief the sport has given her.

The five-day tournament runs from January 12 to 16 and is being hosted in Western Australia, with matches played across Perth and Mandurah.

The Australian all-rounder was snapped up by Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹25.2 crore (about A$4.2 million) after a spirited bidding contest with Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings.

Afridi, playing his first BBL game, conceded 0-45 from just 2.4 overs before the umpires deemed him a danger to the batsmen.

Mitchell Starc’s world-record wicket tally may headline the Ashes, but the story behind the story begins years earlier in a suburban schoolyard, where a teenage keeper met the Indian heritage coach Neil D'Costa who changed his life.

As the series moves south, the equation is simple: one more win secures the urn. After Brisbane, it is hard to argue that Australia aren’t already halfway there.

“Sport can be used to address social issues such as family violence, discrimination and social cohesion,” particularly for diverse communities.

The Commonwealth Games are among the world’s largest multi-sport competitions, seen as one of the biggest after the Olympics and the Asian Games.

The team delivered a composed and disciplined performance in the final, defeating Taiwan 35–28.