376 overseas players part of upcoming BBL draft; over 30 Pakistani players included 

The Big Bash League (BBL) has announced the list of overseas players that will be made available to the franchises in the upcoming draft on September 3. The major takeaway from the list comes in the form of the overwhelming presence of Pakistani players, along with other major stars from around the globe.

As reported earlier, Afghanistan's Rashid Khan has chosen to return to the competition after his calls against the competition in the previous edition. The leg-spinner was left disappointed with Cricket Australia's (CA) decision to forfeit a series against Afghanistan due to their differences with the Taliban's governance in the country.

Also marking their presence are Pakistan's elite players in the form of Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan, and Mohammad Rizwan. Rauf has played for the Melbourne Stars from 2019 to 2022 and is eligible to be retained by the franchise,

Shadab Khan is also eligible to be retained by the Hobart Hurricanes after representing them in the last edition. He has played for the Brisbane Heat and the Sydney Sixers in the past as well.

Other names from Pakistan include Fakhar Zaman, Usama Mir, Mohammad Hasnain, and Shan Masood. Hasnain played for Sydney Thunder in the 2022 season but was reported for an illegal bowling action. He was subsequently cleared in June to bowl in international cricket. The right-arm pacer was recently named in Pakistan's squad for the 2023 Asian Games.

Alistair Dobson, CA's general manager of the Big Bash League, said:

"With the uplift in Big Bash player payment pools this season, top international players are set to earn more than ever before highlighting the Big Bash League's continued commitment to fostering a world-class competition."

A major surprise emerges in the absence of Trent Boult's name from the draft pick list. The left-arm seamer represented the Melbourne Stars last season and has been playing franchise cricket consistently ever since declining a central contract by New Zealand Cricket.

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Melbourne Stars have the first draft pick in the BBL Draft

Following a last-place finish in the 2022-23 season, the Melbourne Stars will make the first pick in the draft, which will comprise four rounds in total.

The upcoming season of the BBL has been shortened to 43 matches and will commence from December 7 onwards. The revised structure of the tournament also sees a different playoff format. Instead of five teams, only four teams will now progress into the knockout stages.

The BBL season briefly overlaps with the SA20 2024, which is scheduled to begin from January 10 onwards while the BBL will end on January 24. It is also to be noted that the second season of the International League T20 (ILT20) is also slated to begin from January 19 onwards.