BBL skipper's interest in Afghan leg-spinner

Next summer's KFC Big Bash League could feature its first-ever player from Afghanistan after Sydney Sixers captain Moises Henriques revealed his interest in signing his Indian Premier League teammate Rashid Khan.

The teenage spin sensation has taken the lucrative T20 tournament by storm this year, picking up 14 wickets in 12 matches for David Warner's Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Rashid's economy-rate of 6.52 is the lowest of any of the top-10 leading IPL wicket-takers, and Henriques believes the 18-year-old leg-spinner could be an ideal recruit for the men in magenta.

"I must say as captain of the Sixers I have been contemplating our little leggie (Rashid) we have over here," Henriques told foxsports.com.au.

"I still can't pick him in the nets. He bowls nearly 100kph and gets the ball to spin a little bit both ways.

"He is hard work especially over here in these conditions but it is something definitely worth contemplating for the Sixers.

"It would depend if he is available and I guess you also have to sum up how successful they can be in Australian conditions.

"I think teams will be silly to pass off the opportunity to not signing guys just because they are from developing cricketing nations.

"Players such as Rashid Khan from Afghanistan and also Mustafizur Rahman from Bangladesh, I've been lucky enough to play with both of them here at the Sunrisers and they have been able to mix it with the very best in the world and I'm sure they are good enough to be in the BBL competition."

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Winners of the inaugural Big Bash League and twice beaten finalists, the Sixers have had a surprising aversion to leg-spinners in recent tournaments.

The Sydney side haven't bowled an over of wrist-spin in any of the previous four BBL campaigns, with now-Test captain Steve Smith the last Sixers leggie to roll the arm over (against Adelaide Strikers in December 2012).

Sri Lankan leg-spinning allrounder Jeevan Mendis featured for them that summer, while Stuart MacGill is the only specialist wrist-spinner to play for the Sixers.

They've been been well served, however, by numerous finger-spinners, with Test tweakers Nathan Lyon and Steve O'Keefe, as well as former South Africa one-day skipper Johan Botha and Will Somerville all pitching in during BBL|06.

The Sixers filled their overseas slots with batsmen rather than bowlers last summer, with Englishmen Sam Billings, Jason Roy, Michael Lumb and Kiwi Colin Munro all featuring at various stages.

All of which could count against Rashid, but he suggested a number of BBL clubs had already expressed interest in signing him. 

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"My dream is to play Big Bash. I would love to be the first Afghani to play in the Big Bash," he said.

"I'm looking forward to playing in BBL if I get a chance. I have performed well so far in the IPL and hopefully that will help me be part of Big Bash."

"Three or four players have spoken to me about Big Bash and couple of franchises have contacted me already. 

"Once I finish IPL hopefully we can have a good conversation about me playing in Big Bash this year."