Shaheen Afridi, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Kusal Perera are among over 600 international talents in the Big Bash drafts
June 10, 2025
Pakistan superstar Shaheen Afridi is among an impressive array of players available for the KFC BBL|15 and Weber WBBL|11 Overseas Player Draft on June 19 when the first lists of nominations were revealed today.
Afridi is certain to cause huge interest among BBL clubs with Brisbane Heat holding the number one pick and having the first chance to take the fast-bowling sensation.
Afridi’s fellow Pakistan stars Mohammad Rizwan, Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan are other high-profile players who have put their names forward for selection for KFC BBL|15.
Former England captain Heather Knight and countrywomen Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Bell and Danni Wyatt-Hodge are up for grabs for Weber WBBL|11, while Pakistan captain Fatima Sana, a bowling all-rounder, has put herself forward for the first time.
Nominations announced today for the BBL|15 and WBBL|11 Drafts are below:
KFC BBL|15 Draft first nominations:
Shamar Joseph (West Indies)
Lockie Ferguson (New Zealand)
Sam Curran (England)
Kusal Perera (Sri Lanka)
Alex Hales (England)
Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
Tim Southee (New Zealand)
Haris Rauf (Pakistan)
Shadab Khan (Pakistan)
Weber WBBL|11 Draft first nominations:
Heather Knight (England)
Deandra Dottin (West Indies)
Shabnim Ismail (South Africa)
Sophie Ecclestone (England)
Shikha Pandey (India)
Jemimah Rodrigues (India)
Lauren Bell (England)
Danni Wyatt-Hodge (England)
Chloe Tryon (South Africa)
Fatima Sana (Pakistan)
The full list of nominations including availability status will be released before the draft via the Big Bash App. There will also be further announcements about international pre-signings.
This season’s draft has been brought forward to June to provide club’s more certainty about player selection as they use the available recruiting mechanisms to build their lists for the season to come.
With nominations now closed, more than 600 overseas players have put their names forward to be part of the WBBL and BBL seasons.
A nomination for the Draft indicates a player has not been pre-signed by any club.
Despite not being pre-signed, players eligible for retention may still be selected with their previous club’s retention pick in the Drafts.
These nominations follow the announcement of 14 pre-signed players to date across the clubs, with the remaining two to be announced soon.
Alistair Dobson, Cricket Australia’s General Manager Big Bash Leagues, said:
“We are very excited by the nominations for the Big Bash Leagues drafts including some global superstars who will add enormous intrigue as the clubs compete for the best available talent.
“Having household names such as Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Heather Knight and Sophie Ecclestone nominate demonstrates the continuing appeal of the Big Bash Leagues to some of the world’s best players.
“Bringing the draft forward will provide more certainty for the clubs as they build their lists and give fans an early insight into the stars who will wear their team’s colours.
“We’re grateful to our partners Seven and Fox Sports who will ensure the draft is broadcast across multiple platforms keeping Big Bash fans engaged and entertained.
“We will have more exciting announcements in the weeks ahead as we reveal the full list of nominations and more pre-signed international players who will help light up the Big Bash Leagues this summer.”
How to watch the Drafts
The Drafts will be broadcast live across The Seven Network, 7plus, FOX SPORTS and Kayo Sports on June 19.
The WBBL|11 Draft will begin at 4pm AEST, with the BBL|15 Draft to follow.
How the Drafts work:
Both the BBL|15 and WBBL|10 Drafts consist of four rounds, with all clubs receiving one pick in each round.
Clubs can select a player who has made themselves available to be drafted in one of four overseas player salary bands: Platinum (Round 1 or 2), Gold (Round 2 or 3), Silver (Round 3 or 4) or Bronze (Round 4 only).
Clubs must use at least three picks including pre-signed players and can pass once.
Players contracted before the Draft under the new pre-signing mechanism will not appear on the nominations list. Pre-signed players must be selected by their club during the Draft with a pick that matches the salary band of their playing contract.
The order of selections for both Drafts was confirmed via the Draft Lotteries, with the third round to be conducted in reverse order.
The Draft orders are below.
KFC BBL|15 Draft Order:
Brisbane Heat
Adelaide Strikers
Melbourne Renegades
Perth Scorchers
Hobart Hurricanes
Sydney Sixers
Melbourne Stars
Sydney Thunder
Weber WBBL|11 Draft Order:
Sydney Sixers
Adelaide Strikers
Melbourne Stars
Perth Scorchers
Hobart Hurricanes
Sydney Thunder
Melbourne Renegades
Brisbane Heat
