Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan among Pakistan players to enter BBL 15 draft

Pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan are among the Pakistan players who have registered for the upcoming draft of the Big Bash League (BBL) season 15, scheduled to take place on June 19.

Joining them on the draft list are fellow internationals Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan, forming a strong Pakistan contingent aiming for another stint in one of the world’s premier T20 leagues.

This year’s BBL draft is set to be one of the most competitive yet, with over 600 overseas players putting their names forward.

Pakistan’s gap in the ICC Future Tours Programme (FTP) from November to February provides their top cricketers a window of opportunity to participate in the BBL 15.

Brisbane Heat hold the No. 1 pick for the men’s draft and will have the first chance to pick from a star-studded pool.

Alongside the Pakistani quartet, the initial draft list also features England’s Sam Curran and Alex Hales, New Zealand duo Lockie Ferguson and Tim Southee, Sri Lanka’s Kusal Perera, and West Indies fast bowler Shamar Joseph.

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The women’s draft for WBBL 11 will run parallel, and Pakistan women’s captain Fatima Sana is part of the nomination list.

Other big names include England’s Heather Knight, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Bell, and Danni Wyatt-Hodge; India’s Jemimah Rodrigues and Shikha Pandey; South Africa’s Shabnim Ismail and Chloe Tryon; and West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin.

BBL General Manager Alistair Dobson welcomed the high-profile names registering for this year’s drafts, calling it a sign of the league’s global appeal.

“Names like Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Heather Knight, and Sophie Ecclestone show that the BBL and WBBL remain attractive leagues for top international talent,” Dobson said.

“The presence of these stars will add a new flavour to the Big Bash this season.”

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