BBL's overseas group takes another hit as schedule bites

The KFC BBL's international contingent has been reduced to 12 players for the run to the finals after the Pakistan Cricket Board called another star player home early from the tournament.

The Brisbane Heat were left scrambling just hours before their must-win game against the Stars in Melbourne on Sunday night after the PCB rescinded permission for opener Fakhar Zaman to play in the remainder of the competition.

Fakhar follows countrymen Mohammad Hasnain (Sydney Thunder), Haris Rauf (Stars) and Shadab Khan (Sydney Sixers) in leaving the tournament early to prepare for the Pakistan Super League, which starts on January 27.

However, the Stars' Pakistani duo Ahmad Daniyal and Syed Faridoun, neither of whom are capped at international level, will remain for the rest of the competition.

Local stars Mitchell Marsh, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Swepson and Michael Neser were all released to their BBL clubs on Sunday having been with Australia's Test squad, while it's yet to be determined if other Test players will return to their clubs for the final games of the season.

The withdrawal of Fakhar is the latest hit to the Big Bash's cohort of overseas players, with 14 international stars having been called back by their national boards during the tournament.

The biggest setback came when England named seven Big Bash players – Sam Billings, Saqib Mahmood, Chris Jordan, James Vince, Tymal Mills, George Garton and Reece Topley – in their T20 squad for the upcoming tour of the West Indies and summoned them home earlier than expected to prepare for the series.

That group of seven then became eight when Billings earned a surprise call-up to England's Ashes squad and Hobart's Harry Brook was named to replace him in the T20 group.

Afghanistan trio Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Qais Ahmad also left the competition early for their country's series against the Netherlands, the details of which were confirmed just last month.

Veteran Mohammad Nabi will miss that series, but he has also left the Melbourne Renegades for family reasons.

While the Big Bash continues to attract big-name talent like Rashid, Andre Russell and Alex Hales, the challenge of retaining them for a two-month long tournament amid an ever-crowded international and domestic calendar has been underscored during this COVID-hit season.

It's long been the case that players would leave the tournament early due to international duty, but the fact domestic leagues in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the UAE have all started in recent seasons during the same December-January window the BBL used to have exclusively means clubs must now battle other leagues as well as their seven Big Bash rivals to secure top-level talent.

"There are a lot of other T20 leagues and it's becoming more and more competitive," Cricket Victoria CEO Nick Cummins said last month.

"Paying an overseas player $100,000 or $120,000, which may have worked in BBL|03 or BBL04, that's not going to cut it now.

"Players are professionals and their time is perishable. They've got a certain number of games in them and they're going to try and play where they can realise their full commercial value."

The PSL is starting in January for the very first time this season to ensure the tournament is complete before Australia's scheduled tour begins in March, with the earlier start resulting in a clash with the BBL.

"Unfortunately, the Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed it had rescinded its permission for Fakhar to play our remaining games, along with all Pakistan players currently involved in the BBL, and summonsed him to return immediately to prepare for the Pakistan Super League," the Heat said in a statement just hours before its match with the Stars.

"We are disappointed that he won’t be able to play for us and he is disappointed he won’t have the opportunity to get some more games in for us. He asked us to thank the fans for their support and wish the team all the best for the remaining three games.

"We thank him for making the commitment to come to Australia at short notice, and wish him all the best with his cricket going forward."

Last season, the league increased its cap on international players from two players to three in each team, although plans for an overseas player draft have twice been scrapped due to the pandemic.

Internationals remaining in BBL|11

Adelaide Strikers: Ian Cockbain (ENG)

Brisbane Heat: Ben Duckett (ENG)

Hobart Hurricanes: Sandeep Lamichhane (NEP), Jordan Thompson (ENG)

Melbourne Renegades: Unmukt Chand (IND), Zahir Khan (AFG)

Melbourne Stars: Joe Clarke (ENG), Ahmad Daniyal (PAK), Syed Faridoun (PAK)

Perth Scorchers: Laurie Evans (ENG), Colin Munro (NZ)

Sydney Sixers: None

Sydney Thunder: Alex Hales (ENG)