BBL Draft: Adelaide Strikers retain Rashid Khan ahead of 13th season

Rashid Khan. (Photo Source: Sarah Reed – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)

Afghanistan international Rashid Khan will not be changing colours and will be representing Adelaide Strikers in the upcoming edition of the Big Bash League (BBL). Notably, Melbourne Stars picked the star cricketer in the first round of the BBL Draft but the Strikers didn’t waste time announcing that they will be retaining Rashid for another season.

Notably, Rashid has played 68 matches for the Strikers in the competition and has picked up 98 wickets in the process. He has been a force to reckon with and hence, the team was keen to bring him back into the set-up. After signing him for another season, head coach Jason Gillespie explained the importance of Rashid and mentioned that the fans would have blocked his entry into South Australia if the team hadn’t signed him.

“I wouldn’t have been allowed back into South Australia. Look, Rashid will be available for a fair chunk of the BBL. So, it was a no-brainer for us. I think for any team if Rashid Khan is available, you will look forward to picking him,” Gillespie said after signing Rashid.

Can’t fault the efforts of the Stars here, but Jason Gillespie wasn’t letting Rashid Khan go anywhere!

Tune into the #BBLDraft live on Fox Cricket pic.twitter.com/0v7yY2EsZY

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) September 3, 2023

Meanwhile, Rashid initially decided to boycott the upcoming edition of the Big Bash League. Earlier in the year, Cricket Australia denied playing a bilateral series against Afghanistan due to political tension and that infuriated Rashid among many Afghan players. They decided to opt out of the BBL but eventually, the cricketers changed their minds and submitted their names for the draft.

Jamie Overton joins Adelaide Strikers

Adelaide Strikers have also signed England international Jamie Overton for the upcoming season. The bowling all-rounder was adjudged Player of the Year in the recently concluded The Hundred and hence, can prove to be extremely important for the Strikers in the 2023-24 edition.

The 29-year-old has played 109 T20 matches so far in his career and has picked up 70 wickets in the process. He can also be extremely impactful with the bat as he has 987 runs at a strike rate of 174.07 in the shortest format (T20) of the game.