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Suspense crime, Digital Desk : The Big Bash League (BBL) is set for an electrifying season after a blockbuster overseas player draft saw Pakistani pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi selected as the coveted first overall pick by the Melbourne Renegades.

In a move that immediately created one of the tournament’s most formidable bowling attacks, the Renegades didn’t stop with Afridi. They also secured his Pakistani teammate and fellow fast bowler, Haris Rauf, ensuring the duo will be terrorizing batsmen in the same colors this season.

The draft’s most dramatic moment came courtesy of the league’s retention pick rule. When the Melbourne Stars attempted to snag superstar spinner Rashid Khan with their pick, his former team, the Adelaide Strikers, immediately played their retention card to keep him. This special rule allows a team to reclaim a player from the previous season, and the Strikers’ swift decision underscored Rashid’s immense value to their franchise. The Renegades also used a retention pick to keep Afghan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

Other major international stars also found new homes in the draft’s opening round. England’s explosive pacer Luke Wood was snapped up by the Melbourne Stars, who later added South African wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock to their roster, forming a powerful new combination.

Rounding out the platinum picks, the Brisbane Heat retained New Zealand’s Colin Munro, and the Perth Scorchers drafted English batsman Zak Crawley. The Sydney Sixers brought back Tom Curran, the Sydney Thunder kept Alex Hales, and the Hobart Hurricanes secured Chris Jordan, loading up the league with world-class talent. With teams now stacked with international firepower, the stage is set for a highly competitive BBL season.

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