The Big Bash League (BBL) is scheduled to take place from 7 Dec, 2023, to 24 Jan, 2024.

The overseas player draft for the upcoming 13th edition of the Big Bash League (BBL 13) took place in Melbourne on September 3, featuring a substantial draft pool of 373 players. A significant highlight of the draft was the inclusion of South African wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock, who is set to make his BBL debut with the Melbourne Renegades.

Additionally, BBL 13 will witness the return of Harry Brook and Haris Rauf to the league, both of whom will represent the Melbourne Stars. Haris Rauf, a known name in the league, will be part of the Men in Green, while Harry Brook is making his BBL debut with the Glenn Maxwell-led side, having previously played for the Hurricanes.

In a noteworthy development, Afghanistan’s star leg-spinner Rashid Khan has decided to withdraw his previous threat to boycott Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) and has made himself available for the 2023-24 season of the T20 franchise tournament. Rashid had earlier issued this threat in January this year following Australia’s decision to withdraw from a three-match ODI series in Afghanistan due to human rights concerns, specifically the Taliban’s ban on girls’ university education.

Rashid expressed his concern at that time, stating, “If playing Afghanistan is so uncomfortable for Australia, then I wouldn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable with my presence in the BBL. Therefore, I will be strongly considering my future in that competition.” However, the recent Australian Associated Press (AAP) report reveals that the 24-year-old spinner’s name is officially included in the list of players available for the overseas draft scheduled for the upcoming BBL season.

The BBL 13 is slated to be held from December 7 to January 24, and Rashid Khan’s participation is expected to be highly sought after. Notably, there are other Afghan players in the overseas draft as well, including Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, and Izharulhaq Naveed.

Meanwhile, the Perth Scorchers have added an exciting new element to their squad by including Zak Crawley, marking his debut in the BBL. On the other hand, the Brisbane Heat has successfully welcomed back two of their star players, Colin Munro and Sam Billings.

In terms of player movements, the Hobart Hurricanes made a move for England all-rounder Tom Curran. However, the Sydney Sixers acted swiftly by utilizing their retention pick to keep the 28-year-old in their squad. It’s worth noting that Tom Curran recently earned the Player of the Match award in the final of the Men’s Hundred 2023. He played a crucial role with an unbeaten 67 runs off 34 balls, rescuing the Oval Invincibles (OVI) from a precarious position of 34/5 in just 36 balls.

The BBL 13 promises to be an exciting and star-studded affair with these notable inclusions and player decisions. Cricket enthusiasts can look forward to witnessing some thrilling T20 action during the upcoming season of the Big Bash League.