After BCCI, Cricket Australia set to rip off Mohsin Naqvi's PCB

Cricket Australia is racing against time to rescue its upcoming Big Bash League 2025-26 (BBL 2025-26) season after the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) sudden decision to block its players from playing in the overseas T20 leagues.

PCB’s chief operating officer Sumair Ahmad Syed announced the ban on September 29 after the recent Asia Cup 2025. This shocking move has thrown the Big Bash League into turmoil just weeks before the start of the tournament in December.

PCB’s ban threatens to derail Big Bash League 2025-26

It is being said that the PCB wants to strengthen Pakistan’s own domestic competitions, and that’s why they took the drastic decision. This move has stunned Australian clubs because Pakistani stars have always been crowd-pullers in the BBL.

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Big names like Babar Azam (Sydney Sixers), Shaheen Afridi (Brisbane Heat), and Mohammad Rizwan (Melbourne Renegades) were expected to rule the headlines in the upcoming season after being picked during a highly anticipated draft earlier this year.

Cricket Australia in talks with PCB to bring Pakistan stars back to BBL

Pakistan’s top stars’ absence could drastically affect team strategies, sponsorship deals, and ticket sales, leaving Cricket Australia and BBL organizers scrambling for solutions.

However, Cricket Australia boss Todd Greenberg is personally in talks with the PCB, and he is determined to find a solution to bring the players back for the tournament.

Todd Greenberg was quoted as saying by News Wire: “We’ve been in contact with our colleagues at the PCB over the last few days; we’re hopeful we can find a resolution. We’re really looking forward to welcoming their players to the Big Bash; we think they’ll add great value … It will be a fascinating summer across the BBL, yeah.”

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BBL gets a major boost as Ravichandran Ashwin joins the Sydney Thunder

Meanwhile, the Big Bash League received a much-needed boost with the signing of Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin. Sydney Thunder roped in Ashwin for the upcoming season.

Speaking on Ashwin’s signing, Greenberg said, “We’ve found provisions where we can make that work, and all the clubs had equal opportunity to engage with him. It’s a big moment for the BBL to welcome Ravi here; I have been talking to him personally on a number of occasions.”

The legendary off-spinner’s BBL debut will be one of the highlights of the season, with organizers predicting record-breaking crowds whenever he takes the field in the tournament.

Our fans are going to really enjoy watching Ashwin play: CA boss

The Cricket Australia boss signed off by saying, “I have found him a breath of fresh air; I think our fans are going to really enjoy watching him play and engaging with him when he’s here for the BBL. He will probably and very likely draw a crowd bigger than 23,000 (ENGIE Stadium’s capacity), but he’s got quite a few away games in some big stadiums, too. I don’t think we’re going to be short of people wanting to come and watch him play, that’s for sure.”

However, the ongoing standoff with the PCB remains the biggest headache for Cricket Australia and BBL organizers. If no resolution is reached soon, Australian clubs may be forced to look for last-minute replacements. Fans, who were eager to watch the likes of Babar, Shaheen, and Rizwan, will be left disappointed, and the BBL could lose some of its international appeal.