BBL 2018-19: Five overseas players to watch out for

The Australian summer is filled with action-packed cricket and the Big Bash League (BBL) remains at the heart of all the entertainment. The only cricketing tournament apart from IPL with an average stadium attendance over 20,000, Big Bash managed to penetrate deep into the Australian market and has become a global success over the years. The eighth edition of this grandiose tournament will begin on December 19, Wednesday with the defending champions Adelaide Strikers locking horns with Brisbane Heat at the Gabba in the tournament’s opening match. This game will have some of the biggest T20 stars like Rashid Khan, Chris Lynn, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and others in action. Just the way it happens every year, each team has roped in a couple of overseas players to bolster the experience factor. With the tournament a couple of nights away from commencement, let’s take a look at the foreign players who will add a spark to this tournament with their presence. 1. Sandeep Lamichhane (Melbourne Stars) Sandeep Lamichhane. (Photo Source: Twitter) Teenage sensation from Nepal, Sandeep Lamichhane is quickly becoming a force to reckon with at a global level. After some impressive performances in the Bangladesh Premier League and Caribbean Premier League, the 18-year-old from Aruchaur made his mark in the IPL for the Delhi Capitals. Soon after, Big Bash franchise Melbourne Stars went after the leg-spinner for his signature and managed to grab his services for the upcoming season. He will become the first Nepali cricketer to play in the tournament and will enjoy playing in the Australian stadiums with long boundaries. 2. Joe Root (Sydney Thunder) Joe Root. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images) Sydney Thunder have been quite inconsistent throughout their tenure in the League and to eradicate that, they needed someone who can contribute profusely in every game. They managed to rope in English Test captain Joe Root and this will only be his second domestic team apart from Yorkshire. One of the classiest cricketers going around, Root instantly makes Thunder a brute force in the T20 format. He tried to get into the IPL last season, but found no buyers in the auction. He will be keen to put forth his T20 credentials through Big Bash and prove his status as one of the best in the business across all formats. 3. Jofra Archer (Hobart Hurricanes) Jofra Archer of the Hobart Hurricanes. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images) Jofra Archer will continue with the Hobart Hurricanes for the second successive season. After lighting up the tournament with his three-dimensional heroics, Archer went on to grab global attention by attaining a huge big in the IPL. He is also being rated as one of the best T20 players in the world right now. The 23-year-old has already proven his worth as a bowler who isn’t the worst with the bat. He hits the high 140s on a regular basis and can trouble batsmen with his pace even when the track is flat. With a strike-rate in excess of 135 with the bat and an economy of 8.12 with the ball, he is quite a useful prospect for any team. 4. Rashid Khan (Adelaide Strikers) Rashid Khan of the Adelaide Strikers. (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images) Adelaide Strikers waited eagerly for a title for 6 seasons and 7th time they got lucky. Rashid Khan joining the club exactly that season wasn’t a mere coincidence as he made the side a title contender with his brilliance, just the way he impacted Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL in the 2017 and 2018 season. He is a man who relishes big matches and pressure situations and has proven it time and again by standing up for his team when no one could. To say he will hog limelight would be an understatement and only thing the fans would be thinking right now is to what extent can he lit up the tournament this time. 5. Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Brisbane Heat) Mujeeb Ur Rahman(Photo Source: ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images) With the signing of Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Brisbane Heat might’ve finally added that extra X-factor in their side good enough to be serious title contenders. He is going to be an integral part of Chris Lynn and Daniel Vettori’s plans for this season and just like the other young spin sensations mentioned in this list, he will relish bowling in Australia. Young spinners like him can get caught up a little with the cravings of variety in deliveries, but he needs to keep a calm head and be consistent with his ideas. Only good spinners have managed to excel in Australian conditions and time will decide if he can join that list. As it stands, he certainly is an exciting prospect who should be a potent weapon in the Heat’s armory. Get the latest Cricket News and updates, Match Predictions, Fantasy Cricket Tips and lots more on CricTracker.com.

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BBL 2018-19: Five overseas players to watch out for

They are expected to wield magic in their respective areas of expertise.

4. Rashid Khan (Adelaide Strikers)

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