Shaheen Shah Afridi Set for BBL Debut Against Renegades and Former Skipper Mohammad Rizwan
Shaheen Shah Afridi is poised to make his Big Bash League debut on Monday, turning out for Brisbane Heat in what will be his first appearance of the season—facing none other than Melbourne Renegades and former Pakistan white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan.
The 25-year-old left-arm quick arrives in Australia as part of a star-studded Pakistani contingent, brought in to bolster Brisbane Heat’s depleted attack following a season-ending injury to Spencer Johnson and Michael Neser’s Test commitments. Afridi, picked first overall in June’s BBL draft, is expected to spearhead Johan Botha’s bowling unit.
“Johnson and Neser are experienced bowlers for this team and I hope I play my role—that’s why I’m here,” Afridi said on Wednesday. “In all three disciplines… fielding, and if needed, with the bat, I’ll give my best. It’s not a small league—it’s renowned as the best league with the best players.”
His debut fixture brings added intrigue, with Afridi set to bowl to Rizwan, the man he replaced as Pakistan’s ODI captain. Several of Pakistan’s leading names will also be part of the BBL this season, including Babar Azam (Sydney Sixers), Hasan Ali (Adelaide Strikers), Haris Rauf (Melbourne Stars) and Shadab Khan (Sydney Thunder). The tournament begins on Sunday.
“First game against Rizzy… a world-class player. And Babar’s here as well,” Afridi said. “They know me, I know them. Hopefully we play some good cricket here. And we’re hopeful we get the Pakistani support, and the Asian community as a whole.”
Afridi enters the league with an impressive international résumé: 126 wickets in 96 T20Is at under eight runs per over and elite figures in Tests, where his average of 27 and strike rate of 52 place him among the top fast bowlers in the modern game.
He also reflected on Mitchell Starc surpassing Wasim Akram’s tally to become the most prolific left-arm fast bowler in Test history during last week’s Gabba Test. While praising Akram as “one of the greats,” Afridi spoke fondly of his early exposure to Starc during his first tour of Australia at age 16—an experience he credits as pivotal to his development.
“He’s a legend, and last time we chatted, I told him I watched his 2015 World Cup spell—that’s why I started bowling fuller,” Afridi said. “He’s a role model for any youngster… he’s been the best for Australia for many years.”
Afridi’s journey from Pakistan’s tape-ball circuit to international cricket has been rapid, following in the footsteps of his older brother Riaz Afridi. Now, he begins a new chapter in the BBL—one of the world’s most competitive T20 leagues—where high expectations await.