In a landmark development for franchise cricket, six Pakistani players are set to feature in Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) this season — with Shadab Khan joining forces with India’s spin great Ravichandran Ashwin at the Sydney Thunder. This will mark the first time players from the two rival nations share a dressing room in any league.
Arch-Rivals United On The Field
India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series since 2012 due to political tensions and only meet in multi-nation tournaments such as the World Cup, Asia Cup, or Champions Trophy. The sight of players from both nations competing together, therefore, is a moment that transcends cricketing boundaries.
It’s a special occasion for the game and fans everywhere: Cricket remains one of the few bridges that can bring people together from both countries.
Pakistan’s Strong BBL Contingent
Pakistan’s presence in this BBL season is their most prominent to date, with several top names signing for key franchises:
• Babar Azam – Sydney Sixers
• Shaheen Shah Afridi – Brisbane Heat
• Hasan Ali – Adelaide Strikers
• Haris Rauf – Melbourne Stars
• Mohammad Rizwan – Melbourne Renegades
• Shadab Khan – Sydney Thunder
The participation was briefly in doubt after the Pakistan Cricket Board suspended No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) in September, but Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg confirmed on Saturday that all Pakistani players will join their teams as scheduled.
Ashwin’s Rare Brush with Pakistan Cricket
Despite a long international career, Ashwin’s encounters with Pakistan have been few. He featured in only one ODI against them — the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final at The Oval, which Pakistan famously won. Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, and Shadab Khan were all part of that victorious side.
Ashwin also faced Pakistan in the dramatic 2022 T20 World Cup clash at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where he hit the winning run in a four-wicket thriller against Babar’s team.
Pakistan players, meanwhile, have been excluded from the Indian Premier League (IPL) since its inaugural season in 2008. Ashwin debuted in the IPL a year later, meaning this will be his first opportunity to share a league platform with Pakistani cricketers.
Cricket Amid Strained Relations
The move comes amid renewed political tension between India and Pakistan following a brief military flare-up earlier this year. The cricketing relationship took another hit after a “no-handshake” controversy in the Asia Cup, followed by India’s players refusing to receive the trophy from Asian Cricket Council president Mohsin Naqvi — also Pakistan’s interior minister.
Against this backdrop, the sight of Indian and Pakistani players competing side by side could provide a rare, unifying image in an otherwise divided landscape.
