BBL draft to feature 80 Pakistani men and women cricketers

Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) and Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) drafts are fast approaching, and the list of Pakistani players set to participate has been unveiled.

A total of 80 Pakistani male and female cricketers are set to participate in the draft, scheduled for September 1. Additional nominations for the BBL 2024/25 have been announced, with 64 more Pakistani cricketers joining the list for the upcoming draft.

Names like Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Usama Mir, and Zaman Khan were previously announced. The expanded list now includes Fakhar Zaman, Naseem Shah, Shan Masood, Saim Ayub, Usman Qadir, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Umar Akmal, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Haider Ali, and Mohammad Hasnain.

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Furthermore, the WBBL draft will include 11 Pakistani women cricketers, including Fatima Sana, Nida Dar, Diana Baig, Aliya Riaz, Tuba Hassan, Nashra Sandhu, and Aroob Shah. The drafts for both the BBL and WBBL are scheduled for September 1.

The BBL 2024/25 season will kick off on December 15 with the opening match between the Perth Scorchers and the Melbourne Stars at Perth Stadium. The final is scheduled for January 27, 2025. The Brisbane Heat are the defending champions, having won the previous edition by defeating the Sydney Sixers by 54 runs in the final.

The WBBL 2024/25 season will start on October 27 with the opening match between the Adelaide Strikers and the Brisbane Heat at Adelaide Oval. The final will take place on December 1.