SYDNEY: All three of the world’s top-ranked Twenty20 players have signed on for Australia’s Big Bash League with Afghanistan spin king Rashid Khan on Thursday confirming his return to the Adelaide Strikers.

The 10th season of the eight-franchise tournament is set to start on Dec 3 and end with the final on Feb 6, with the Sydney Sixers defending their title.

Rashid, the world’s number one T20 bowler, will be back for a Strikers side coac­hed by former Australian paceman Jason Gillespie.

His return follows the signings this week of England’s top-ranked batsman Dawid Malan for the Hobart Hurricanes and Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi by the Melbourne Renegades.

Others on board include English internationals Alex Hales (Sydney Thunder), Tom Banton (Brisbane Heat) and Tom Curran (Sydney Sixers).

More are expected to sign-up because Big Bash clubs this year are allowed a third overseas player after the Australian Cricketers Association dropped longstanding opposition to the move.

The decision is partly to compensate for expanded Australian national squads likely being required this sum­mer due to Covid-19 ‘hub’ restrictions, which could prevent them playing in the Big Bash League.

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2020