Copeland Hails Babar Azam and Shadab Khan’s BBL Participation

Trent Copeland, the former Australian fast bowler and current General Manager of the Sydney Thunder, has lauded the inclusion of Pakistani T20I vice-captain Shadab Khan and star batsman Babar Azam in the upcoming 15th edition of the Big Bash League (BBL).

Copeland conveyed his enthusiasm for the pair’s participation in a video that was disseminated on the BBL’s official social media channels.

“Having Babar Azam and Shadab Khan involved in a major game creates excitement; it’s truly magical,” Copeland stated.

Shadab Khan verified his agreement with the Sydney Thunder on social media. The all-rounder voiced his keenness to play in the prestigious league.

“Excited about joining @thunderbbl. Competing in the BBL is always a test. Australian conditions always pose a new challenge,” Shadab posted.

This will be the leg-spinner’s fourth BBL team, having previously played for the Brisbane Heat, Sydney Sixers, and Hobart Hurricanes.

The 26-year-old has participated in 12 BBL games thus far, securing 14 wickets with an economy rate of 7.50.

The BBL 15 player draft was conducted earlier this week in Melbourne, where Shaheen Shah Afridi, the 25-year-old left-arm pacer, was chosen as the first overall overseas pick.

Of the 74 registered Pakistani players, six of the eight BBL teams expressed interest in enlisting seven national team stars.

Mohammad Rizwan, the wicketkeeper-batter, was also selected as the third platinum pick, while Luke Wood of England was selected second, following Shaheen.

Haris Rauf, a right-arm pacer, has been re-signed by the Melbourne Stars. Rauf has been an important player for the Stars since 2019 and is presently playing for the San Francisco Unicorns in Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025.

Babar Azam, the former captain of Pakistan, was pre-signed by the Sydney Sixers before the draft and is preparing to make his BBL debut this season.

Hassan Khan, a former Pakistan U19 cricketer, was chosen by the Melbourne Renegades in the Gold category, and Hasan Ali, a right-arm pacer, was selected by the Adelaide Strikers.

Having previously played in leagues such as the Lanka Premier League (LPL), Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), and Caribbean Premier League (CPL), this will be Hasan’s first BBL season.