SYDNEY: Cricket Australia’s Chief Executive, Todd Greenberg, has said that the Pakistani players contracted for the Big Bash League (BBL) season would be playing for the full term due to the Pakistani tour of Sri Lanka.
Addressing members of the press on Tuesday, Greenberg revealed, “We have received information that the contracted players for the BBL will be playing for the entire season. Arrangements are all made so that they can participate despite having other obligations.”
But there is a comfort that Pakistan’s T20 side may not miss out on a portion of the BBL, because the Pakistan side is set to go on a tour of Sri Lanka in January 2026. Greenberg, however, clarified that “the Pakistan series is going ahead as planned, and the T20 series will be formally announced.”
Concerns had also been expressed after the recent entry of the new Pakistan pace bowler, Shaheen Afridi, into BBL, where it was termed ‘unfortunate’ that he was not allowed to bowl during his initial match. As far as Greenberg is concerned, the particular incident involving Afridi was not mentioned, but player welfare is still at the top of the priority list.
As far as the issue of security is concerned, Greenberg assured that all the players would be fully apprised of the security aspects of international tours. Recalling his personal experience, he said, “I traveled to Pakistan in 2022 with the players and had a very positive and safe experience. We are confident in our security protocols.”
BBL is Australia’s elite T20 cricket competition, which includes international superstars and local players. Presence of Pakistani players in the full season is also expected to lift up the prestige of BBL. This move by Pakistani players has also been closely watched by their supporters and cricket administrators.
Greenberg’s comments illustrate that Cricket Australia has already struck a balance between its international obligations and franchise cricket responsibilities. CA has assured availability of Pakistani players for the entire BBL season to ensure balance in competition while allowing players to play regularly.
The upoming BBL season, taking place between 2025-26, is expected to see many high-profile encounters, and Pakistani cricketers are expected to play a major part in these encounters. It is great news for teams and supporters that Greenberg has come out with these assurances regarding international superstars. With ongoing preparations for the BBL and the international engagements for Pakistan, the weeks ahead will see how players balance their workload and other obligations related to traveling and performing on the field without compromising any commitment.
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