Shaheen Afridi set to make BBL debut after draft nomination, Jemimah Rodrigues nominated for WBBL draft

Pakistan star Shaheen Afridi is set to make his debut in the Big Bash League (BBL) after being nominated for this year's Big Bash Draft. The much-awaited draft is scheduled to take place on June 19.

The left-arm pacer will be available for the entire BBL season, including the finals. According to cricket.com.au, Shaheen Afridi could end up with the Brisbane Heat, who hold the No.1 pick at this year's draft. Widely regarded as one of the best pacers in the world, especially in white-ball cricket, Shaheen Afridi is yet to play in the BB,L although he has played in several other T20 leagues around the world.

He recently led Lahore Qalandars to the title in the Pakistan Super League 2025. The Pakistan star led from the very front, picking up 19 wickets at an average of 16.42. He was at his best towards the end of the tournament, taking 10 wickets in the last four games.

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Overall, Shaheen Afridi has played 222 T20s so far and has taken 310 wickets. In international cricket, he has played 79 T20Is and has claimed 102 wickets. A handy lower-order batsman, Afridi can also hit the ball a long way.

Shaheen Afridi spearheads star-studded list of nominations:

Afridi is not the only Pakistan star to be nominated in the first batch for the players' draft. Apart from him, Mohammad Rizwan, Haris Rauf, and Shadab Khan will be up for grabs as well. Like Afridi, Rizwan, Rauf, and Shadab will also be available for the entire BBL season.

England star Sam Curran, who was the Player of the Tournament in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, is also one of the nominated players. The other notable names in the list of nominations are Lockie Ferguson, Alex Hales, Tim Southee, Kusal Perera, and Shamar Joseph.

Out of the eight BBL teams, only the Sydney Sixers are yet to announce a pre-signed overseas player for the upcoming season.

Direct overseas player signings

• Adelaide Strikers - Jamie Overton (England)
• Brisbane Heat - Colin Munro (New Zealand)
• Hobart Hurricanes - Chris Jordan (England)
• Melbourne Renegades - Tim Seifert (New Zealand)
• Melbourne Stars - Tom Curran (England)
• Perth Scorchers - Finn Allen (New Zealand)
• Sydney Sixers - TBC

BBL 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)

Jemimah Rodrigues nominated for WBBL draft:

India star Jemimah Rodrigues is one of the big names nominated for the WBBL draft. Rodrigues and all the other players nominated in the first batch have confirmed their availability for the entire season. Apart from Rodrigues, India's Shikha Pandey will also be up for grabs in the first batch of the nominees.

Both Rodrigues and Pandey had played for Brisbane Heat last season, helping the team finish the season as runners-up.

WBBL draft nominees:

Lauren Bell (England), Deandra Dottin (West Indies), Sophie Ecclestone (England), Shabnim Ismail (South Africa), Heather Knight (England), Shikha Pandey (India), Jemimah Rodrigues (India), Fatima Sana (Pakistan), Chloe Tryon (South Africa), Danni Wyatt-Hodge (England)

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