Pakistan’s top cricketers have been cleared to play in the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) after weeks of uncertainty over the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) approval for overseas leagues.
The clearance follows a notice issued in late September by PCB’s chief operating officer Sumair Ahmad Syed, which temporarily halted players from joining foreign T20 tournaments. However, Cricket Australia (CA) has now confirmed that the issue has been resolved.
CA chief executive Todd Greenberg told ESPNCricinfo, “That came through last week. So they’ll all be playing, they’ve all been cleared to play, which we’re really excited about because we’ve got some great Pakistan players in the BBL. Looking forward to seeing them here this summer.”
The confirmation ensures that several of Pakistan’s leading stars will take part in the league, including Babar Azam (Sydney Sixers), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Brisbane Heat), Hasan Ali (Adelaide Strikers), Mohammad Rizwan (Melbourne Renegades), Haris Rauf (Melbourne Stars) and Shadab Khan (Sydney Thunder).
The BBL 2024-25 season begins on December 14 and runs until January 25, promising a strong international line-up across franchises.
