Melbourne, Nov 4 (IANS) Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman is set to make his Big Bash League debut after signing with the Melbourne Renegades for the upcoming BBL 16 season, with the franchise bringing in the experienced left-armer to reinforce its pace attack following Jason Behrendorff’s injury.
Behrendorff, one of the most successful bowlers in the tournament’s history and its fourth-highest wicket-taker, will miss the season after undergoing shoulder surgery. The Renegades have turned to Mustafizur, widely known as ‘The Fizz’ for his deceptive cutters and variations, to fill the void.
The 31-year-old brings considerable experience to the Australian T20 competition, having represented Bangladesh in 271 international matches across formats. He has also established himself as a regular presence in franchise cricket, collecting 423 wickets in 331 T20 appearances at a strike rate of 16.9.
Renegades head coach Luke Ronchi believes the Bangladesh international’s ability to deliver breakthroughs at different stages of an innings will add a valuable dimension to the bowling unit.
“Mustafizur is a proven match-winner in T20 cricket all over the world. His ability to take wickets in both the Powerplay and at the death is exactly what we wanted in our attack. BBL audiences love a player who can change a game in a single over and Mustafizur can do just that. Every ball has the potential to produce something special, and our fans are going to love watching him bring the theatre across the summer,” Renegades head coach Luke Ronchi said in a statement.
Mustafizur’s recent performances against Australia further underline his credentials. During Bangladesh’s ODI series against Australia in June, he claimed 3-27 in Mirpur to help the hosts secure an unassailable 2-0 advantage in the three-match contest.
His franchise career includes nine Bangladesh Premier League campaigns and eight IPL seasons. He was also part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad that won the IPL title in 2016, his debut season in the competition.
Expressing excitement about his first Big Bash assignment, Mustafizur said he was particularly looking forward to playing at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
“I am looking forward to playing in the BBL for the first time with the Melbourne Renegades. It will be special to play at the MCG as my home ground and I’m excited to join my teammates and bring my experience to the squad,” Mustafizur said in a statement.
Mustafizur will not be available for the Renegades’ historic season opener against Perth Scorchers in Chennai because of his commitments with Dubai Capitals in the ILT20. However, he is expected to be available for the remainder of the tournament.
He becomes only the third Bangladesh player to feature in the Big Bash, following Shakib Al Hasan and current Hobart Hurricanes recruit Rishad Hossain.
The Renegades have now filled 16 of their 18 available roster positions, with England’s Jonny Bairstow and New Zealand’s Michael Bracewell joining Mustafizur as their overseas recruits.
--IANS
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