Sixers bolster spin stocks with international ace

Two-time defending champions the Sydney Sixers have landed a major coup, signing Pakistan star Shadab Khan for the remainder of KFC BBL|11.

The prodigious talent, who debuted for his country in all three formats as a teenager, joins the Sixers following a season ending neck stress fracture to off-spinner Ben Manenti and a short-term calf strain to veteran tweaker Steve O’Keefe.

It will be the leg spinning sensation's second stint in the competition after he played three games for the Brisbane Heat in BBL|07 as a 19-year-old.

In those three games he collected six wickets as an impressive economy rate of 7.08, giving Sixers fans a glimpse of what they can expect for the rest of the summer.

The 23-year-old, who is known as an exceptional turner of the ball, burst onto the scene during the 2016-17 Pakistan Super League season with Islamabad United.

He made his T20I debut in March 2017 against the West Indies as a 19-year-old, before following it up with his Test and ODI debuts the next month.

The right-armer has since played 64 T20Is for Pakistan where's he's collected 73 wickets at 21.79 with an excellent economy rate of 7.11.

Shadab played all six of Pakistan’s matches at the T20 World Cup last month, collecting nine wickets for the tournament, including a haul of 4-26 in the semi-final loss to Australia where he dismissed David Warner, Mitch Marsh, Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell.

He has also played six Tests and 48 ODIs for Pakistan. Shadab could also provide some valuable lower order hitting to the Sixers’ lengthy batting line-up, as he has a first-class hundred to his name and a highest T20 score of 77.

Shadab is the fifth Pakistan signing announced for BBL|11 and joins Haris Rauf, Syed Faridoun and Ahmad Daniyal (Melbourne Stars) and Muhammad Hasnain (Sydney Thunder) in this year's tournament.

Sixers head coach Greg Shipperd said he was excited at the prospect of working with Shadab.

"Shadab joins us as cover for the bowlers we have lost and comes together with two other young and exciting spinners in Lloyd Pope and Todd Murphy," he said.

"All three young men are still learning their craft but have shown at various levels that they can be world class.

"We welcome Shadab’s skills in all three facets of the game and can’t wait to see him get an opportunity in coming matches."

The Sixers, who sit second on the table behind the undefeated Perth Scorchers, next play the Thunder in the Sydney Smash on Boxing Day at Sydney Showground Stadium.

It's unclear at the moment if Shadab will have cleared COVID protocols to be available to play in that game or whether he will make his first appearance in the following match against his old club the Heat on December 29.