BRISBANE, Australia (Kashmir English): Pakistan’s star cricketers Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi have arrived in Australia for the 15th edition of the Big Bash League (BBL), set to begin on December 14.
Franchises of both players confirmed their arrivals via social media posts, with Brisbane Heat and Sydney Sixers welcoming the two of the tournament’s most high-profile overseas signings.
Afridi, snapped up as the No.1 draft pick, was the first to arrive, touching down in Brisbane in the early hours of Tuesday.
The Brisbane Heat was quick to share images of the left-arm pacer at the airport with a short message: “The number one draft pick has landed. Welcome to Brisbane, Shaheen Shah Afridi.”
Babar Azam reached later in the day, with the Sydney Sixers posting a short teaser video of the star batsman walking into the dressing room, simply captioned: “He’s arrived.”
44 matches to be played in BBL 15
The tournament will run from December 14, 2025 to January 25, 2026, featuring 44 matches to be played largely in prime-time evening slots.
Alongside Babar and Shaheen Shah Afridi, several other Pakistan internationals will feature in BBL 15. They include Mohammad Rizwan and Hassan Khan for Melbourne Renegades, Haris Rauf has signed with Melbourne Stars, Shadab Khan with Sydney Thunder, and Hasan Ali with Adelaide Strikers.
According to the organizers, the finals will retain the traditional four-match format, with the Qualifier scheduled for January 20 and the final to be played on January 25.
