Tag: BBL 15

Melbourne Renegades General Manager James Rosengarten shared that the fans of the team are eagerly waiting to see Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan in action in the upcoming season of the Big Bash League (BBL).

Speaking exclusively to ARY News via video link, Rosengarten highlighted the growing buzz around the tournament, noting that this season marks the first time several of Pakistan’s biggest names will feature across different franchises.

“The Big Bash League is just days away, and the inclusion of Pakistan’s superstar players has truly taken the tournament to another level,” Rosengarten said.

“For the first time, players like Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf will represent different teams, and that has created huge anticipation.”

The Renegades GM said Rizwan’s arrival in Melbourne has generated particular excitement among local fans.

“In Australia, and especially in Melbourne, Pakistani fans are eagerly waiting for the Big Bash League,” he said.

“The fan clubs are ready, everyone is waiting to see when Mohammad Rizwan will step onto the field.”

Rosengarten also underlined the importance of Rizwan’s role within the Renegades setup, pointing to his partnership with Tim Seifert as a key asset.

“The combination of Mohammad Rizwan and Tim Seifert is very important for our team,” he said.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“Along with that, young Pakistani cricketer Hasan Khan will also be a major point of interest this season.”

Acknowledging the presence of Pakistan’s star players across rival franchises, Rosengarten said the Renegades are prepared for the challenge.

“Babar Azam will be playing for Sydney Sixers, but we will step onto the field fully prepared,” he said. “Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf will bring serious pace, but our batters will be ready to compete.”

When asked if he would have liked to sign another Pakistani player, Rosengarten named Saim Ayub as his top choice.

“If I had the opportunity to draft one more Pakistani player, I would definitely choose Saim Ayub,” he said.

Rosengarten also thanked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi for facilitating the participation of Pakistani players in the league.

“I want to thank PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi,” he said.

“The decision to issue No Objection Certificates to so many Pakistani superstars is very encouraging. The cricketing relationship between Pakistan and Australia is becoming stronger with each passing day.”

READ: WATCH: Chaos in Kolkata as fans vandalise stadium after Messi exit

Former Australian captain Aaron Finch lavished praise on Pakistan cricketers set to play in the Big Bash League (BBL) 15, stating that they are ‘global superstars’ and crucial for

Finch called the Pakistan players vital to Australian cricket, noting that they are global superstars.

“They’re not just Pakistan players, they’re Pakistan superstars, they’re global superstars. That’s so important to our game because they’re such great players,” Finch said during a podcast.

“I think that that is so important that that knowledge is passed on and that’s why having internationals is so crucial in our game,” he continued.

Finch lavished praise on Babar Azam despite the latter’s dip in form over the last couple of years.

“You’ve got one of the best players that I’ve ever played against. I played against Babar in Pakistan, and it was almost impossible to get him out,” Finch recalled.

“I know he’s been a little bit more quiet in the last 18 months, but he’s a world-beater at his very best,” he explained.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The 39-year-old also talked about wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan, who will be making his debut for the Melbourne Renegades.

“Mohammad Rizwan never shuts up behind the stumps, but seriously talented,” Finch said.

“I was talking to Jake Fraser-McGurk earlier at a shoot that we’re doing together, and I know we’re going to chat to him soon, but he was talking about what he’s learned off Rizwan already in the couple of days that he’s been here.”

“It’s incredible what it means, not for the players to be involved themselves, but for our players to learn as much as they can,” he concluded.

For the unversed, several Pakistani players will be in action in the BBL 15.

The tournament, running from December 14 to January 25, 2026, will feature 44 matches. Notably, most of the tournament’s fixtures will be played primarily in prime-time evening slots.

Alongside Babar and Shaheen, several other Pakistan internationals will feature this season: Mohammad Rizwan and Hassan Khan will line up for Melbourne Renegades, Haris Rauf has signed with Melbourne Stars, Shadab Khan with Sydney Thunder, and Hasan Ali with Adelaide Strikers.

READ: Kohli, Rohit set for demotion in BCCI central contracts: reports

Pakistan’s star all-rounder Shadab Khan has expressed his excitement not only about returning to competitive cricket but also about a much-anticipated showdown with compatriot Babar Azam in the Big Bash League (BBL) 2025.

The leg-spinner underwent right-shoulder surgery on July 5 in England after persistent discomfort and multiple medical consultations.

The procedure sidelined him for nearly five months, ruling him out of several major assignments, including the Asia Cup 2025.

Now fully recovered, Shadab Khan is set to return to action in the BBL, where he will represent the Sydney Thunder, his first major appearance since surgery.

Speaking exclusively to ARY News, he said his ambition is simple: make a strong, impactful comeback.

“This is my first event after surgery,” Shadab said. “Because of the surgery, I stayed away from cricket for almost five months.”

“But I’ve completed my preparation for the Big Bash League, and my only aim is to play good cricket and make a strong comeback.”

With multiple Pakistani stars featuring across franchises, Shadab believes this season will attract heightened interest.

“Pakistan’s big-name players will be in action this time,” he said. “Because of Pakistani players, the Big Bash is getting even more attention.”

One of the biggest storylines of the season will be Shadab going head-to-head with former Pakistan captain Babar Azam, who will represent the Sydney Sixers.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The two sides meet twice in the high-voltage Sydney Derby, first on 20 December and again on 16 January.

“Babar and I have played together a lot,” Shadab said. “We understand each other’s mindset. It will be fun when Babar and I face each other on Australian soil.”

Shadab Khan also spoke about the experience of sharing a dressing room with top Australian names.

“Playing alongside David Warner and other Australian players will be a unique experience,” he said.

Reflecting on his recovery, the all-rounder said highs and lows are part of the sport.

“Injuries and being out of form are part of a player’s life,” he admitted. “I accept that I’ve been through that phase too.”

He stressed the importance of all-rounders contributing in every department.

“An all-rounder should focus on both batting and bowling,” he said. “It’s wrong to think that if your batting isn’t going well, your bowling won’t help either. Playing different roles according to the team and the situation is not a bad thing.”

With a strong Pakistani presence expected in the stands, Shadab said fan support plays a key role in boosting confidence.

“There is a large number of Pakistani fans in Australia,” he said. “We get energy from the fans.”

WATCH: WWE superstars pay emotional tribute to John Cena

Pakistan ace pacer Shaheen Afridi lavished praise on Australia speedster and his role model Mitchell Starc ahead of the much-anticipated debut in the Big Bash League (BBL) 15.

Shaheen, who will represent Brisbane Heat in Australia’s premier T20 competition, spoke about his early memory of watching Starc bowl in the 2015 World Cup.

“He’s a legend,” Afridi said.  “When ‘Starcy’ played that 2015 World Cup, I was playing for the Under 16 Pakistan team at that time, so…I followed him to try to bowl many times the way he swung the ball,” he recalled.

“He bowled a fuller ball throughout that World Cup and had very good success.”

He also talked about his chat with Mitchell Starc while calling him an idol for youngsters.

“The last time we chatted, I told him that I watched him (in 2015) … and that’s why I bowl fuller to batters,” Afridi continued.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“I can say he’s a role model for any youngster… he’s been the best for Australia for many years,” he concluded.

It is pertinent to mention that Mitchell Starc (420) recently surpassed former Pakistan great Wasim Akram’s (41`4) tally of most wickets as a left-arm pacer. The 35-year-old Starc reached the landmark during the second Ashes Test.

For the unversed, several Pakistani players were hot picks in the BBL 15 draft held earlier.

The tournament, running from December 14 to January 25, 2026, will feature 44 matches. Notably, most of the tournament’s fixtures will be played primarily in prime-time evening slots.

Alongside Babar and Shaheen, several other Pakistan internationals will feature this season: Mohammad Rizwan and Hassan Khan will line up for Melbourne Renegades, Haris Rauf has signed with Melbourne Stars, Shadab Khan with Sydney Thunder, and Hasan Ali with Adelaide Strikers.

READ: ICC announces ticket sales for Men’s T20 World Cup 2026

Sydney Sixers have given their marquee overseas signing, Babar Azam, a distinctive identity ahead of the Big Bash League (BBL) season 15, unveiling a customised jersey number for him.

The former Pakistan skipper, who arrived in Sydney this week to begin his BBL stint, will wear the number 056, a creative adaptation of his usual 56.

The franchise introduced the unique number across their social media platforms, releasing images of Babar at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) sporting his new look.

The tweak comes out of necessity, with Mitchell Starc, a mainstay at the Sixers, retaining the traditional 56 jersey.

The club showcased the pairing with a playful reveal captioned, “056 x 56 🔥 Babar wears 056, and Starc will wear 56 in BBL|15.”

The Sixers followed up the announcement with a short teaser video marking Babar’s arrival, showing the star batter walking into the dressing room with the simple caption: “He’s arrived.”

His inclusion is among the most anticipated features of BBL 15, which begins December 14 and runs through January 25, 2026, with 44 matches, most in prime-time evening slots.

Pakistan’s presence in this year’s competition is set to be one of the strongest in recent editions. Alongside Babar and Shaheen Afridi, several other national players were snapped up in the BBL 15 auction.

Mohammad Rizwan and Hassan Khan will represent the Melbourne Renegades, Haris Rauf joins the Melbourne Stars, Shadab Khan links up with the Sydney Thunder, and Hasan Ali features for the Adelaide Strikers.

READ: Virat Kohli closes in on leader Rohit Sharma in ODI Batting Rankings

Pakistan’s ace duo Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi arrived in Australia for the upcoming 15th edition of the Big Bash League (BBL).

The highly anticipated edition of Australia’s premier T20 competition will begin on December 14.

The star players’ arrival was confirmed via their respective outfits’ Brisbane Heat and Sydney Sixers social media handles.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Brisbane Heat (@heatbbl)

“The number one draft pick has landed. Welcome to Brisbane, @iShaheenAfridi,” the Brisbane Heat wrote in its social media caption.

For those unaware, Shaheen was picked by the Brisbane Heat as their No.1 draft pick, while Babar was signed by the Sydney Sixers.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Meanwhile, the Sixers released a short teaser video of the star batter walking into the dressing room, simply captioned: “He’s arrived.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Sydney Sixers (@sixersbbl)

It is worth mentioning that this year, several Pakistani players remained hot picks in the BBL 15 auction held earlier.

The tournament, running from December 14 to January 25, 2026, will feature 44 matches. Notably, most of the tournament’s fixtures will be played primarily in prime-time evening slots.

Alongside Babar and Shaheen, several other Pakistan internationals will feature this season: Mohammad Rizwan and Hassan Khan will line up for Melbourne Renegades, Haris Rauf has signed with Melbourne Stars, Shadab Khan with Sydney Thunder, and Hasan Ali with Adelaide Strikers.

The BBL 15 has confirmed that the finals will retain the traditional four-match format, with the Qualifier scheduled for January 20 and the final to be played on January 25.

READ: Can Virat Kohli reach 100 international centuries?

Pakistan wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan is excited and geared up for his maiden stint with the Melbourne Renegades in Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) 15.

Speaking in an interview with Cricket Australia, Rizwan shed light on his cricketing career  and deemed performing well in Australia crucial for a player’s success.

“If you perform there, the world will know you. I’m very excited to play in the Big Bash,” Rizwan said.

He highlighted difficult conditions down under while recalling his career-defining innings against Australia.

During Pakistan’s 2019 tour, Rizwan scored a gritty 95 at the Gabba against a full-strength Australian attack comprising Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon.

“I love the conditions in Australia because they challenge both batters and bowlers. One innings in Australia changed my career,” the former Pakistan captain recalled.

“After that series, people said, ‘This is Rizwan, the one who performed in Australia,’” he continued.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The 33-year-old praised Australia’s players’ mentality and their passion on the field, which brings a different competition in the game.

“They play with heart, they’re brave, and they stick to what they decide. I love that.

Rizwan will be playing alongside several ace Pakistan players in the upcoming BBL.

“In PSL, when Shaheen comes, he attacks me, and I attack him,” Rizwan said of Shaheen Afridi while mentioning that he has never played his compatriots outside of Pakistan’s domestic cricket.

“We’ve never played against each other outside Pakistan domestic cricket. We are very close, but this is different. They’ll come with energy.”

For those unaware, the 15th edition of the BBL will run from 14 December to 25 January 2026, featuring 44 matches in prime early-evening slots.

Babar is set to make his BBL debut for the Sydney Sixers. Shaheen Afridi was signed by Brisbane Heat as their first overseas platinum pick, and Rizwan joins Melbourne Renegades.

Rauf will represent Melbourne Stars, Shadab Khan was signed by Sydney Thunder, Hasan Ali was drafted by Adelaide Strikers, and Hassan Khan will play for the Renegades.

READ: Pakistan players set to prioritise national duty over BBL 15: reports

LAHORE: Pakistan cricketers set to feature in the Big Bash League (BBL) 15, commencing on 14 December in Australia, will prioritize national duty over the league, reports claimed on Wednesday.

This comes after the announcement of the T20I series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, which will be played on 7, 9, and 11th January in Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium.

The series between the Green Shirts and the Islanders will serve as preparation for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India from 7 February to 8 March.

Following the Sri Lanka tour, Australia is scheduled to tour Pakistan for a three-match T20I series at the end of January.

According to the reports, Conditional No Objection Certificates (NOCs) are issued to national players for participation in overseas leagues, in which they are directed to prioritize the national duties over franchise cricket.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Furthermore, the reports claim that players will prioritise the Sri Lanka tour over the BBL, and permanent members of the T20 squad are unlikely to receive exemptions from the series.

Notably, NOCs for the BBL have reportedly been granted to national cricketers from 14 December to 28 January.

The players who have received NOCs are Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan, and Hasan Ali.

For the unversed, the 15th edition of the BBL will run from 14 December to 25 January 2026, featuring 44 matches scheduled in prime early-evening slots.

Babar is set to make his BBL debut for the Sydney Sixers. Shaheen Afridi was signed by Brisbane Heat as their first overseas platinum pick, and Rizwan joins Melbourne Renegades.

Rauf will represent Melbourne Stars, Shadab Khan was signed by Sydney Thunder, Hasan Ali was drafted by Adelaide Strikers, and Hassan Khan will play for the Renegades.

Pakistan Sri Lanka T20I Series schedule

First T20I: Wednesday, January 7, Dambulla

Second T20I: Friday, January 9, Dambulla

Third T20I: Sunday, January 11, Dambulla

READ: WATCH: BBL showcases Babar Azam in Cricket 26 game

SYDNEY: Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam is set to make his debut in the popular Cricket 26 video game after the Sydney Sixers unveiled his in-game appearance through a special reveal video shared on social media.

The franchise posted a clip on Instagram showing Babar batting alongside Steve Smith and celebrating a century at the SCG, with the caption: “Babar & Smudge making tons at the SCG. You can give that a go on Cricket 26, out now.”

The game officially launched on November 19.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by KFC Big Bash League (@bbl)

The reveal comes as excitement builds ahead of the 15th season of the Big Bash League (BBL), with the full fixture list now confirmed.

A total of 44 matches will be played between December 14 and January 25, 2026, with most games scheduled in the evening. The league will only break for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

The tournament will open with a high-profile clash between two of the most successful teams in BBL history, Perth Scorchers and Sydney Sixers, at Perth Stadium.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Other than Babar Azam, several other Pakistani stars will also be part of the upcoming BBL campaign.

Shaheen Afridi has been snapped up by Brisbane Heat as their first overseas and platinum pick, while Mohammad Rizwan will feature for the Melbourne Renegades.

Haris Rauf is set to play for the Melbourne Stars, former Pakistan Under-19 all-rounder Hassan Khan returns to the Renegades, Shadab Khan joins the Sydney Thunder, and pacer Hasan Ali will represent the Adelaide Strikers.

READ: QEAT Final: Fazal’s ton put Karachi Blues on top against Sialkot

Veteran spin great Ravichandran Ashwin was ruled out of Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL 15) on Tuesday after undergoing knee surgery.

With this, he missed out on becoming the first Indian international to feature in the Twenty20 event.

The 39-year-old, who signed for Sydney Thunder in September, said in a statement: “I’m gutted to miss BBL.

“My focus now is recovery and coming back stronger. I’m grateful to the Thunder family and the fans for the warmth they’ve already shown me.”

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) does not allow any current player in Indian international or domestic cricket to feature in overseas leagues.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

But Ashwin retired in December during India’s Test tour of Australia and quit the Indian Premier League in August, freeing him up.

“Everyone at Sydney Thunder was devastated to learn of Ash’s knee injury that has ruled him out of BBL, and we wish him well in his recovery,” said Thunder general manager Trent Copeland.

Ashwin, who played for five IPL franchises, finished his India career with 537 wickets in 106 Tests at an average of 24.00.

He also played 116 one-day and 65 Twenty20 internationals.

The BBL gets under way on December 14.

READ: ICC suspends Haris Rauf for code of conduct breach