Pakistan’s featured players are now free to take part in the men’s Big Bash League, ending a brief spell of doubt caused by the PCB’s decision last month to hold back No-Objection Certificates for overseas events.
Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg confirmed the clearance on Saturday. “That came through last week,” Greenberg said. “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, so looking forward to seeing them here this summer.”
The outcome means 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) will report on time for a season that runs from 14 December to 25 January.
Key match-ups
Two dates are already ringed on most diaries: 5 and 18 January, when Babar’s Sixers meet Shaheen’s Heat. Both contests will form part of prime-time double-headers, and although the pair regularly train together for Pakistan, a BBL face-off will be new territory.
There’s extra intrigue around Sydney Thunder fixtures too. Ravichandran Ashwin, signed for the full campaign after going unsold at the ILT20 auction, will share the Thunder dressing-room with Shadab and test himself against the other Pakistan names. A tussle between Ashwin’s off-spin and Babar’s silkier stroke-play already feels unavoidable, though whether the weather co-operates in high summer is another matter.
Indian presence and future possibilities
Ashwin’s arrival has revived the long-running question of Indian participation in overseas leagues. “Short, medium term I think it is realistic over time,” Greenberg said of the prospect of more Indian players appearing. “We’re going to keep the dialogue open. I think that Ravichandran Ashwin coming is a really important moment for the BBL and it will highlight the strength of bringing Indian players into the league. What that manifests over time I think is to be seen. Some of that will depend on whether we take private capital into the BBL which is an open conversation for us at the moment.”
The notion of senior India internationals finishing their domestic commitments and then sampling overseas T20 cricket is hardly new. Virat Kohli’s name crops up whenever the topic surfaces, yet he remains publicly non-committal. For now, Ashwin provides the case study.
Private capital and player retention
Cricket Australia has been exploring partial private investment in the BBL for more than a year, hoping extra funds might keep high-profile Australians at home while attracting world stars. Discussions continue with state associations, some of whom are wary of ceding control. Even so, the board wants a progress report before year’s end.
“We should have aspirations to make sure the very best players, both here in Australia and globally, can play in the BBL,” Greenberg said. “That costs money because players have leverage and opportunity to play all over the world. That’s one of the primary drivers [for] why we would consider bringing private capital into the BBL so that we can compete on the global stage. We’re a small domestic market here, but we’re competing globally and to do that we’ve got to be the best version of ourselves.”
The debate intensified earlier this month when reports emerged that Pat Cummins and Travis Head had rejected eight-figure offers to sign long-term franchise deals elsewhere. Their stance was framed as loyalty; others saw it as a reminder that BBL match-fees still lag behind the top end of the global T20 market.
PCB stance softens, for now
Back in Lahore, the PCB’s late-September directive freezing NOCs surprised agents and players alike. Officials suggested workload management and national duty were the motives, though privately some felt fresh central contracts could be used as leverage. Either way, Saturday’s clearance represents a climb-down or, at minimum, a pragmatic pause.
The board may reassess once Pakistan’s domestic and international calendars are finalised for 2026. If they push again for tighter league windows, Australia might have to renegotiate. For now, though, fans get the headline acts they expected, coaches can finalise combinations, and marketing teams have genuine star power to promote.
Looking ahead
Flight itineraries are booked, visas stamped and social-media teasers already in draft. If summer heat and the odd tropical storm allow, the 2025-26 BBL should feature Pakistan’s leading lights from ball one. Whether that remains the norm beyond this season will depend on the same three factors that dominate every modern cricket conversation: player workload, league money and international priorities.
In the meantime, Babar versus Shaheen at the Gabba, Ashwin setting traps on a two-paced Spotless surface and Rizwan ramping death-overs yorkers at Docklands all feel worth pencilling into the festive schedule.
