Nicholas Pooran, Laurie Evans, and Faf du Plessis headline BBL 2023-24 overseas draft 

T20 specialists like Nicholas Pooran, Laurie Evans, and Faf du Plessis are among the six batters who have put their names in for the Big Bash League (BBL) 2023-24 overseas draft.

Melbourne Stars, who missed out on the playoffs last season, have the first pick in the draft which is scheduled to be held on September 3, right after the inaugural WBBL draft.

Adelaide Strikers and Hobart Hurricanes, the other two teams that missed out on the playoffs will have the second and the third pick, respectively. Defending champions Perth Scorchers have been slotted to have the final pick in the platinum and the platinum + gold round of the draft.

England's Alex Hales, who recently retired from international cricket has signed up for the draft and so have Colin Munro and Rilee Rossouw.

Pooran is arguably the biggest name on the list, especially considering his current form. The wicketkeeper-batter is playing a vital role in West Indies' ongoing T20 series against India at home and recently led the MI New York (MINY) to the title in the inaugural Major League Cricket (MLC) edition in the USA.

The explosive left-handed batter has represented the Melbourne Stars in the past as well. He was part of the Glenn Maxwell-led side for a short stint in the 2020-21 season.

After missing out on the previous season due to a suspension on the back of a positive drug test, Laurie Evans could also be potentially back in the BBL, if his upcoming hearing goes well. He is currently representing the Manchester Originals in the Hundred in England.

Perth Scorchers do have a provision to retain him since he was on their squad list last year. All BBL franchises have one 'veto' option to prevent another team from roping in a player who was in their squad last season. The Englishman had helped Scorchers secure the title in the 2021-22 season after scoring 76 runs while coming into bat at 25-4 after six overs.

There are three available price slots for the overseas players to register themselves in, namely the gold (AUD$300,000), silver (AUD$200,000), and bronze (AUD$100,000). If players are available to play the entire season, the BBL will decide whether to bump them up to the platinum slot, which offers AUD$420,000 for the season.

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BBL 2023-24 season cut short to 43 matches amid the rise of other overseas T20 leagues

The last few seasons of the tournament have not hit optimum targets in terms of interest and attendance at the venues. As a result, the league has been reduced to a 43-match affair from the 2023-24 season onwards. The upcoming edition has been scheduled to start on December 7.

Despite the curtailed window, the league is bound to face competition from the newly-established SA20 and the International League T20 (ILT20), who occupy the January slot in the cricketing calendar.