Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi touch down in Australia for BBL 15

The tournament is set to begin from December 14

Pakistan’s premier cricketers Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi have arrived in Australia ahead of the 15th edition of the Big Bash League, set to begin on December 14.

Both players’ franchises confirmed their arrivals via social media, with Brisbane Heat and Sydney Sixers rolling out the welcome mat for two of the tournament’s most high-profile overseas signings.

Shaheen, snapped up as the No.1 draft pick, was the first to land, touching down in Brisbane in the early hours of Tuesday. The Heat shared images of the left-arm quick at the airport with a short message: “The number one draft pick has landed. Welcome to Brisbane, Shaheen Shah Afridi.” His early arrival underlines the franchise’s intent to build their bowling plans around Pakistan’s pace spearhead.

Babar followed later in the day, with the Sixers posting a short teaser video of the star batter walking into the dressing room, simply captioned: “He’s arrived.” For a tournament built on power-hitting and pace, Babar’s presence offers a contrasting appeal – classical batting, tempo control and consistency at the top.

BBL 15 will run from December 14, 2025 to January 25, 2026, featuring 44 matches played largely in prime-time evening slots. Pre-season camps are already underway, with a strong Pakistani contingent wasting little time in settling into local conditions.

Alongside Babar and Shaheen, several other Pakistan internationals will feature this season: Mohammad Rizwan and Hassan Khan will line up for Melbourne Renegades, Haris Rauf has signed with Melbourne Stars, Shadab Khan with Sydney Thunder, and Hasan Ali with Adelaide Strikers.

The BBL has confirmed that the finals will retain the traditional four-match format, with the Qualifier scheduled for January 20 and the final to be played on January 25.
Players will remain available for national duties throughout the tournament, with the Pakistan Cricket Board having issued No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to all participating players.

With two of Pakistan’s biggest names arriving early, the build-up to BBL 15 has gathered momentum – and Australian fans now have plenty more to look forward to when the action begins.