Former captain of Pakistan, Babar Azam, is on the verge of participating in the forthcoming Big Bash League (BBL) Season 15, with strong signs pointing towards his association with the Sydney Sixers franchise.
A promotional video shared by the Sydney Sixers on their official social media platforms showcased a brief sighting of an athlete resembling Babar in the Sixers uniform, igniting widespread speculation and enthusiasm among followers.
Although the franchise has yet to formally announce the signing, an official statement is anticipated shortly, likely prior to the BBL overseas players’ draft scheduled for June 19.
Cricket Australia has recently unveiled the initial list of international players eligible for the draft, which features several leading Pakistani cricketers such as Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Haris Rauf, and Shadab Khan.
Other international players included in the preliminary list are England’s Sam Curran and Alex Hales, New Zealand’s Lockie Ferguson and Tim Southee, Sri Lanka’s Kusal Perera, and West Indies’ fast bowler Shamar Joseph.
Women’s Big Bash League season
The Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) draft is also set to highlight prominent names, including India’s Jemimah Rodrigues and Shikha Pandey, West Indies’ Deandra Dottin, and Pakistan’s Fatima Sana.
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This season, the BBL and WBBL drafts have been advanced to June to assist teams in finalizing their rosters sooner. Over 600 overseas players have expressed interest in the upcoming season, as stated by Cricket Australia.
The Brisbane Heat and Sydney Sixers hold the premier picks in the BBL and WBBL drafts, respectively. Each team will select one player per round across four salary tiers—Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze.
Cricket bats, England cricket merchandise in the meantime, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to 13 players, including Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi, allowing them to participate in overseas leagues.
Babar, Rizwan, and Shaheen—who were absent from Pakistan’s recent T20I series against Bangladesh—have registered for the BBL draft and are authorized to compete in the league from December 14 to 28.
In addition, Pacer Haris Rauf has received an NOC to engage in Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025, commencing this Friday, while Mohammad Amir has been allowed to continue his participation with Essex in the T20 Blast until July 18.