The BBL Draft was held early in June this year, with officials and coaches speaking at the event offering an insight into those players and their roles, plus likely line-ups for BBL|15.
Adelaide Strikers
Jamie Overton
All-rounder
Right-arm fast bowler/right-handed middle-order batsman
English
10/4/1994
The Englishman is a known commodity to the Strikers, having dominated the past few seasons with them. Availability is good, having opted against being involved in red-ball cricket, ruling him out of England’s Ashes squad. Used in surge overs and death, while batting role was middle-order, targeting late overs. Handy in the field too.
Luke Wood
Left-arm fast medium bowler
English
2/8/1995
Taken with pick 3 as Adelaide looked to strengthen their bowling options. Experienced T20 circuit bowler who is set to play a role up front and surge, swinging the ball with his left-armers. Involved with England T20 teams in recent times and had a strong T20 Blast this year with Lancashire taking 22 wickets in 11 games, with an economy rate of 8.69. Previous BBL stint with Stars may help adjust to Aussie conditions.
Hasan Ali
Right-arm medium fast bowler
Pakistani
2/7/1994
Bag of tricks Pakistani paceman, who coach Tim Paine signed to add to their death bowling options, while he can also create wickets in the middle order too. Will be a familiar face, as was part of Pakistan’s touring Test team a few summers ago and has plenty of white-ball experience for his country. Excellent T20 Blast this year with Warwickshire, taking 25 wickets in 12 games including a hat-trick in a 6-23 haul. Third most wickets in this year’s PSL too, with 17 in 10.
Brisbane Heat
Shaheen Shah Afridi
Left-arm fast bowler
Pakistani
6/4/2000
The no.1 pick in the 2025 BBL Draft, the experienced Pakistani will open the Heat’s attack and bowl crucial overs. He has an impressive CV, playing for Pakistan in all three formats, where he’s their star player. Offers leadership too, having captained Lahore to the 2025 PSL title, as he led the league for wickets taken with 19 at 16.42 with an economy rate of 7.76. Never played BBL before but played international cricket in Australia with some success. Will relish the Gabba conditions. Heat captain Nathan McSweeney said: “He loves bowling in fast, bouncy conditions and the Gabba’s exactly that.”
Colin Munro
Left-handed top-order batsman
New Zealander
11/3/1987
Veteran Kiwi batsman who occupy one of the top 3 positions. Well known to the BBL across the years, but had a rough BBL|14, managing a dismal 46 runs from 6 knocks, with a strike rate of just 62.16. Since then, he’s been among the top scorers in this year’s PSL and CPL, so hopefully that was just a one-off form dip.
Tom Alsop
Left-handed batsman/wicketkeeper
English
26/11/1995
Middle-order English batsman who take the gloves. Back for a second season in teal, after 4 games in BBL|14, restricted due to a pre-season injury. Managed 100 runs in 4 knocks, so impressed enough to regain his spot, where he’ll be used in that 4-6 role. Minimal impact for Trent Rockets in this year’s Hundred but posted 3 half-centuries for Sussex in T20 Blast batting at 5.
Hobart Hurricanes
Chris Jordan
Bowling all-rounder
Right-arm fast medium bowler/middle-order batsman
English
4/10/1988
Gun all-rounder with bat, ball and in the field, offering up a high ceiling. Known commodity in the BBL, having played at various clubs across numerous editions. Only took 7 wickets in 9 games and managed 61 runs with bat, so plenty of upside. He can be frustrating but has a great role, batting 7/8 and bowling death overs and power surge, so the points should flow.
Rishad Hossain
Right-arm legbreak spinner
Bangladeshi
15/7/2002
Hobart drafted the tall leggie 12 months ago after a brilliant 2024 T20 World Cup (14 wickets in 7 games) but he never arrived after being denied a clearance by the Bangladeshi Cricket Board (BCB). It was noteworthy that Ricky Ponting and the Canes chased him again this year, and he has been granted a clearance by the BCB this time. Expect him to play a key role as Hobart’s no.1 spinner bowling middle overs. He can also show the bat as well, so might come in 8/9. He took 13 wickets in 7 games in the 2025 PSL for title-winning Lahore.
Rehan Ahmed
Bowling all-rounder
Right-arm legbreak spinner/right-handed batsman
English
13/8/2004
Highly-rated young talent, who became the youngest man to play Test cricket for England as an 18-year-old. Only 21, the leggie has played all three formats internationally and was drafted in the BBL by the Sixers two seasons ago, but didn’t play. He’s handy with the bat too and has even pinch hit as an opener in England. Hobart have clearly targeted bowling all-rounders as their imports and captain Nathan Ellis said: “We wanted to strengthen our wicket-taking options through the middle (overs).”
Melbourne Renegades
Mohammad Rizwan
Wicketkeeper-batsman
Right-handed top-order batsman
Pakistani
1/6/1992
Accomplished and experienced 33-year-old Pakistani who has played a combined 200 times for his country in ODIs and T20Is. Technically sound gloveman, who’s best suited to opening the batting. Don’t expect monster strike rates but he’s capable of building an innings. Gades high performance manager Wade Seccombe said: “He comes with a wealth of international experience and … he’ll help control our innings.” Recent T20 form is good, topping the CPL averages with 56.75 in 6 knocks totalling 227 runs. He had similar numbers in the PSL with 367 runs from 10 innings including 105*.
Hassan Khan
Bowling all-rounder
Slow left-arm orthodox/Right-handed batsman
Pakistani/American
16/10/1998
Fascinating selection, having been added midway through BBL|14 without much background. Karachi-born Hassan was part of Pakistan U19 squads but moved to USA where he’s excelled and is now an adopted American. He had an outstanding 2025 Major League Cricket tournament for San Fran, posting 22 runs with 187.5 strike rate in the middle order as well as taking 12 wickets with his spin. Seccombe said: “He balances out our lineup; genuine allrounder, a left arm orthodox and powerful middle-order batter. He’s a player on the rise and we’re investing in him.”
Tim Seifert
Wicketkeeper-batsman
Right-handed top-order batsman
New Zealander
14/12/1994
Back for his second season in red, 30-year-old Seifert had an OK debut campaign with 200 runs in 10 knocks but a strike rate of only 122. Used anywhere inside the top 4, but primarily as an opener, Rizwan’s addition does throw his role into jeopardy, including with the gloves. He may miss games too, with a New Zealand T20I series in January potentially pulling him out of the BBL. Found some form in the CPL in August and September with 396 runs in 10 knocks with a 169 strike rate for St Lucia Kings.
Melbourne Stars
Haris Rauf
Right-arm fast bowler
Pakistani
7/11/1993
The Stars regained Haris with pick 2 after the Adelaide Strikers tried to nab him. The speedster shot to fame in BBL|09 at the Stars and has since become an established Pakistani white-ball gun. He’s taken 36 wickets in 22 BBL games for the Stars, where his pace is suited and they like to give him key overs. Took 9 wickets in 5 games at the recent T20 Asia Cup.
Tom Curran
All-rounder
Right-arm fast medium/right-handed batsman
English
12/3/1995
Always comes under consideration in SuperCoach but availability has been his issue in recent times, with injury and suspension. He only played 6 games in BBL|14 after the Stars pulled him away from the Sixers via the BBL Draft. Probably better with ball that bat, he might get the Stars’ plum death overs role. He’s also a capable late-overs hitter, so the role will be good, assuming he plays consistently.
Joe Clarke
Batsman-wicketkeeper
Right-handed top-order batsman
English
26/5/1996
Former BBL Draft no.1 pick. Never played for England internationally but is a decent white-ball cricketer, who won the Stars’ BBL|11 Player of the Season. Only played 2 games last year but with Ben Duckett gone, he’ll likely open the batting for the Stars and take the gloves, shunting Sam Harper. Enjoyed good form in The Hundred with Birmingham Phoenix, making 229 runs at 28.62.
Perth Scorchers
Finn Allen
Right-handed top-order batsman/part-time wicketkeeper
New Zealander
22/4/1999
Big-hitting opener who never quite got going in his maiden BBL campaign last summer after an awful start. Ended up taking the gloves, which might come in handy if Josh Inglis is away with the Ashes Test squad. Excellent pedigree in white-ball cricket, with the innate ability to hit a ball a long, long way. Current T20I strike rate of 163 from 52 games. He made 151 from 51 balls in the MLC this year, reaching his hundred from 34 balls. Been sidelined since July with a foot stress fracture.
Laurie Evans
Right-handed middle-order batsman
Englishman
12/10/1987
The middle-order batsman returns to Perth after spending one campaign at the Renegades. Evans arguably has enjoyed the best seasons of his career at the Scorchers, including leading the side to the BBL|11 title, so he’ll be welcomed back in that 4/5/6 role alongside Ashton Turner. Now 38, his best is likely past him, evidenced by a relatively lean run with Southern Brave in The Hundred this year, scoring 128 runs in 7 knocks.
David Payne
Left-arm fast medium bowler
Englishman
15/2/1991
Another title winner who returns to Perth after time elsewhere. The left-arm swing bowler was instrumental in Perth’s BBL|12 title with his economical bowling, specifically the power play and death. Enjoyed a productive English season with 10 wickets for Welsh Fire in The Hundred, plus 17 in 14 games for Gloucs in the T20 Blast, with an elite economy rate (6.77). Scorchers coach Adam Voges said: “Both our picks, Laurie and David Payne, people who’ve been with us before and experienced success (with us). We know we’re welcoming back two great characters and great cricketers.”
Sydney Sixers
Sam Curran
Bowling all-rounder
Left-arm medium-fast bowler/left-handed batsman
Englishman
3/6/1998
The left-arm swing bowler looks a brilliant addition on paper. He’s canny and cool with the ball and can handle himself with the bat, as shown on the international stage where he was Player of the Final in 2022 T20 World Cup decider. Unfortunately, he’ll miss games early due to signing up for the ILT20, leading to a January arrival. When available, expect him to bat late overs or 6/7/8 and bowl his full allotment in key overs.
Babar Azam
Right-handed top-order batsman
Pakistani
15/10/1994
Marquee signing and supreme talent. Babar is recruited specifically to cover the departure of long-term opener James Vince. Sixers coach Greg Shipperd described it as “replacing one Rolls Royce with another”. The right-hander’s CV is exceptional but this will be his maiden BBL campaign. Doesn’t play much T20 franchise cricket beyond the PSL in his homeland, where he was in the top 10 run scorers this season with 288 from 10 knocks.
Jafer Chohan
Right-arm leg break
Englishman
11/7/2002
English leg-spinner who played 4 games in BBL|14 without making a major impact returns for a second season in magenta. Put his name up in lights during the 2024 T20 Blast with 17 wickets in 10 games for Yorkshire, including an impressive 5-14. That led to his maiden England call-up and his BBL drafting last year. Hasn’t quite kicked on, barely playing for London Spirit in this year’s Hundred, but clearly got talent and an X-factor with the ball.
Sydney Thunder
Lockie Ferguson
Right-handed fast bowler
New Zealander
13/6/1991
The veteran Black Caps quick is back after taking 8 wickets in 6 games last summer for the Thunder. Ferguson is currently recovering from a leg injury and has had hamstring issues over the past 12 months, plus he’s contracted to play in the ILT20 until early January, so his availability isn’t great. In saying that, at the BBL Draft, Thunder GM Trent Copeland said: “We wanted him back”. He’s quick and will bowl up front. He wasn’t prolific in BBL|14 and only managed 3 wickets in 6 games for Trent Rockets in The Hundred this year too, but he’s usually economical.
Shadab Khan
All-rounder
Right-arm leg spin/right-handed batsman
Pakistani
4/10/1998
Returns for a fourth BBL club after stints at the Hurricanes, Sixers and Heat previously. Shadab’s turning leg spin should suit the Thunder’s Showgrounds surface, while he brings hitting capacity in a middle/lower-order role. Copeland said: “We were in the thick (of it) for him to play for us last year. Having a sixth genuine bowling option, (he) could even be our fifth. When you think about our venue, he’s going to be really hard to face.” Decorated Pakistan international and quality T20 player.
Sam Billings
Wicketkeeper-batsman
Right-handed batsman
Englishman
15/6/1991
Loyal Thunder talisman back for another campaign in lime green. Capable anywhere in the top 5, but likely to slot in at 4 and take the gloves in BBL|15. Served the Thunder well last season, as a steady hand with 271 runs in 11 innings at 30.11 with a strike rate of 132. He’s always a wicketkeeper to consider.
