Shaheen, Rizwan, and Fatima Sana among top picks in Big Bash League 2025 draft pool

Pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan are among the Pakistan players who have registered for the upcoming draft of the Big Bash League (BBL) season 15, scheduled to take place on June 19.

 They are joined by express pacer Haris Rauf and leg-spinning all-rounder Shadab Khan, forming a formidable Pakistani quartet eager to make their presence felt in one of the world’s most prestigious T20 leagues.

 This year’s BBL draft is set to be one of the most competitive yet, with over 600 overseas players putting their names forward.

With a window of opportunity emerging due to a gap in Pakistan’s ICC Future Tours Programme (FTP) from November to February, the leading cricketers are set to make a mark in the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) Season 15.

The Brisbane Heat hold the first overall pick in the men’s draft and will have the initial opportunity to select from the elite pool of talent.

Apart from the Pakistani players, the draft list also includes international stars such as England’s Sam Curran and Alex Hales, New Zealand’s Lockie Ferguson and Tim Southee, Sri Lanka’s Kusal Perera, and West Indies paceman Shamar Joseph.

In parallel, the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) Season 11 draft will also be conducted, and Pakistan women’s team captain Fatima Sana has made it to the nomination list.

She will feature alongside other global cricket stars such as England’s Heather Knight, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Bell, and Danni Wyatt-Hodge; India’s Jemimah Rodrigues and Shikha Pandey; South Africa’s Shabnim Ismail and Chloe Tryon; and West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin.

BBL General Manager Alistair Dobson welcomed the high-profile names registering for this year’s drafts, calling it a sign of the league’s global appeal.

“Names like Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Heather Knight, and Sophie Ecclestone show that the BBL and WBBL remain attractive leagues for top international talent,” Dobson said.

“The presence of these stars will add a new flavour to the Big Bash this season.”