It’s a glowing endorsement from one of the Big Bash League’s headline acts.
Pakistan superstar Mohammad Rizwan rates the BBL among the world’s best and says its demands were a factor in him landing at the Melbourne Renegades.
Rizwan has hit nearly 9000 runs at international level, but it is in the shortest format he shines brightest.
The compact right-hander averages a score over 50 one in every three innings in Twenty20s for Pakistan.
But for all his international experience, Rizwan still sees the BBL as a challenge worth conquering.
“All knows it’s in the world’s best leagues,” Rizwan said.
“Big Bash is a brand and if you play here, the world knows you and if you perform here (even better), because it’s here in Australia.
“You can’t play in Australia like you can in other countries, it is challenging conditions here, it is what I like.
“The bounce and drop-in pitches, that’s a big factor to the challenge because you just don’t know (how it will play).”
Every BBL team but the Perth Scorchers took a Pakistani in this year’s draft, headlined by Shaheen Afridi at Pick 1 to the Brisbane Heat.
Rizwan, who was the Renegades’ first choice at Pick 4, says the whole of Pakistan will be invested to see how their heroes match up against Australian’s.
“The whole of Pakistan is excited because they all love us and we love our Pakistan people as well,” he said.
“They’re excited to watch us in the Big Bash … before this we’ve only played against them, the Aussies, now we’re sharing a change room with them.”
The Renegades kick off their season against the Heat – Rizwan against Afridi – on Monday in Geelong.
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