The Sydney Thunder will be without all-rounder Shadab Khan for several crucial games after his call-up to the Pakistan squad for an upcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka.
Shadab is the only BBL contracted player called into Pakistan’s 15-player squad for the important T20 World Cup tune-up series from January 7-11.
The official PCB announcement said: “Pakistan side will depart for Sri Lanka in the first week of January.”
That would mean Shadab plays Round 4 but likely departs around the Thunder’s Round 5 game against the Hobart Hurricanes on January 3.
Haris Rauf, Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali and Mohammad Rizwan are all unaffected having not been called up for the series.
Shadab’s call-up is likely due to missing the past six months with a shoulder injury, with Pakistan keen to reintegrate him ahead of the World Cup.
It’s unclear at this stage if Shadab will return to the BBL after the series.
The Thunder will lose English import Reece Topley after their Round 4 game due to SA20 participation, while Kiwi quick Lockie Ferguson is currently recovering from injury sustained in the ILT20 in his homeland and is unlikely to play this season.
