Richards received the call-up to the Opals team after an Achilles injury ruled out centre Liz Cambage for the tournament starting on Saturday.

Over the past two years Richards has emerged as one of the premier players in the WNBL, playing a leading role in the Bendigo Spirit’s back-to-back WNBL Championships.

Opals Head Coach Brendan Joyce said as one door closes, another opens, with Richards’ rise to prominence a story of persistence and hard work.

“We are all still feeling for Liz at the moment, but what this situation does create is an opportunity for someone to come into the team and you would be hard-pressed to find someone more deserving of the chance,” he said.

“Gabe is a person of high character and has simply been one of the most dominant players in the WNBL over the past two seasons, and a major reason behind the Bendigo Spirit’s success.

“At 29, Gabe may have thought her chances of representing her country at a World Championship were gone, but that’s one area we have really focused on with the program.

“We’ve recognised these mature-age players who we believe can contribute to the team and translate their form from the WNBL on to the world stage, and Gabe is a glowing example.”

Throughout the preparation Richards has been a constant, touring the USA and Europe.

The Opals' first world championship game is in Istanbul against Cuba on Saturday night.