Afridi set for first Big Bash foray after draft nomination – Cricket.com.au

Left-arm firebrand heads Pakistani influx as quiet international window coincides with BBL|15
Pakistan’s left-arm speedster Shaheen Afridi is set for KFC BBL|15 as he headlines the list of nominations for this year’s Big Bash Draft.
The 25-year-old rated one of the best new-ball bowlers on the planet will be available for the entire season and finals campaign, instantly making likely bound for the Brisbane Heat who hold the No.1 pick at this year’s draft, to be held on June 19.
Afridi joins fellow Pakistanis Muhammad Rizwan, a dynamo with bat and gloves, and familiar faces to the BBL in Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan in the top tier of talent.
Pakistan have a big gap in the ICC’s Future Tours Programme from November to February, making it the perfect opportunity for their leading players to feature in this year’s Big Bash.
BBL|15 draft nominees: Sam Curran (England), Alex Hales (England), Lockie Ferguson (New Zealand), Tim Southee (New Zealand), Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan), Shadab Khan (Pakistan), Haris Rauf (Pakistan), Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan), Kusal Perera (Sri Lanka), Shamar Joseph (West Indies)
Afridi, Rizwan, Rauf and Shadab are all available for the entire season and their leading players looking for T20 action ahead of February’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Indeed, every player named into today’s list of nominations is available for the BBL finals, with most available for at least six regular season matches.
BBL|15 availability
Full season + Finals
6-9 matches + Finals
6-9 matches + Finals
6-9 matches + Finals
Full season + Finals
Full season + Finals
6-9 matches + Finals
Full season + Finals
Full season + Finals
4-6 matches + Finals
Sam Curran is another excellent all-round overseas talent to come onto the BBL market this year.
The 27-year-old Englishman was the player of the 2022 T20 World Cup played in Australia and is fresh off a strong IPL campaign with Chennai Super Kings.
Curran would join his brother, Tom, who holds a deal with the Melbourne Stars, if picked up.
Shamar Joseph, the West Indian who made his name with his Gabba Test heroics two summers ago, joins, Kusal Perera and Tim Southee as established internationals who would be new faces for the BBL.
Alex Hales and Lockie Ferguson have also nominated and will both be eligible for the Sydney Thunder to use their one retention pick on, while the Melbourne Stars have retention rights for Rauf.
A former Pakistan captain, Afridi has 310 career wickets from 222 T20 matches at a strike-rate of 15.8, and economy of 7.95. Naturally one of the biggest draws in the Pakistan Super League where he plays for Lahore Qalandars, he’s also featured in leagues in England, the UAE and Bangladesh.
More then 600 overseas players have put their names forward to be part of this year’s Big Bash.
The Sydney Sixers are the only club yet to confirm a pre-signed overseas player for BBL|15, with six of the seven confirmed signings in the second season of the two-year deals they signed ahead of BBL|14 when the mechanism was introduced.
The 2025 draft, to be broadcast on 7mate, 7Plus, Foxtel and Kayo from 4pm on June 19, has been brought forward to this month to lock in talent earlier for clubs and allow them more certainty in building their list.
Full details of Big Bash Draft nominations, including player availability and retention status, is available on the Big Bash app.
Clubs must select at least two overseas players across four rounds in both the WBBL|11 and BBL|15 drafts, as well as allocating one of their picks to their pre-draft overseas player signing.
The players contracted before the drafts under the league’s multi-year pre-signing mechanism for overseas players will not appear on the nominations list but must be selected by their club during the draft with a pick that matches the salary band of their playing contract.
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