Sydney Sixers Tease Babar Azam Signing Ahead of BBL Draft

The Sydney Sixers, a Big Bash League (BBL) franchise, has generated considerable excitement by posting a teaser video that suggests the imminent signing of Pakistani batting star, Babar Azam.

The promotional clip, distributed on the team’s social media channels, seemingly features Babar sporting a Sixers jersey, leading to fervent speculation about his potential debut in the BBL.

Official contract details are anticipated to be disclosed by the franchise tomorrow.

This prospective acquisition precedes the BBL Season 15 overseas players draft, scheduled for June 19.

Cricket Australia (CA) recently unveiled the initial roster of international players eligible for the draft, which includes several prominent Pakistani cricketers such as Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf, and Mohammad Rizwan.

Other international luminaries featured on the preliminary 10-player draft list are England’s Sam Curran and Alex Hales, New Zealand’s Lockie Ferguson and Tim Southee, Sri Lanka’s Kusal Perera, and West Indies’ emerging talent Shamar Joseph.

Simultaneously, the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) draft nomination list also showcases notable international players, including India’s Shikha Pandey and Jemimah Rodrigues, West Indies’ Deandra Dottin, and Pakistan’s Fatima Sana.

The BBL and WBBL drafts have been moved to June for the first time to facilitate early squad planning by franchises. Cricket Australia has reported that over 600 international players have expressed interest in participating this season.

The Brisbane Heat and Sydney Sixers will have the first picks in the BBL and WBBL drafts, respectively, with each draft comprising four rounds and teams selecting one player per round.

Players will be chosen from four salary tiers: Platinum (Rounds 1–2), Gold (Rounds 2–3), Silver (Rounds 3–4), and Bronze (Round 4 only).

In related news, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) issued No Objection Certificates (NOCs) on Tuesday to 13 national cricketers, including senior players Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi, enabling them to participate in various international franchise leagues.

Babar, Rizwan, and Shaheen, who were notably absent from Pakistan’s squad for the recent home T20I series against Bangladesh, have registered for the BBL draft, scheduled for June 19. The PCB has authorized their participation in the league from December 14 to 28.

Separately, former Pakistani pacer Mohammad Amir, currently playing for Essex in the T20 Blast, received an NOC valid until July 18.

Haris Rauf, a frontline fast bowler, has also been granted an NOC to participate in Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025, which commences this Friday.