In a recent update ahead of the Big Bash League (BBL), Afghan spinner Rashid Khan has withdrawn from the upcoming player draft. England’s emerging all-arounder Jacob Bethel was also drawn from the BBL15 draft list. In particular, no official reasons are given for withdrawal from the draft.
The 15th edition of the Big Bash League Draft is scheduled to take place on June 19th. In particular, the BBL will begin on December 15th, with the final scheduled for January 27th, 2026. Sri Lanka in February will serve as an important platform for players to keep national selectors down by the T20 World Cup in India.
Rashid Khan and Jacob Bethell withdraw from BBL15 player draft
Rashid Khan and Jacob Bethell have withdrawn from the draft BBL players. Their names, which were originally included, are no longer visible to the updated draft list published on the official Big Bash League app.
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Rashid Khan and Jacob Bethell drew names from the BBL15 draft list. Their names no longer appear in the list shared on the Big Bash app.#BBL15 pic.twitter.com/S86Q07ZGYQ
– T20 Franchise Registration (Male) (@T20Tracker) June 16, 2025
Following his withdrawal from the BBL15 draft, it has been revealed that Jacob Bethel is expected to be initially available for the last few league matches, including the Finals. Rashid Khan is likely to appear, but availability was limited due to the conflict schedule.
The ILT20 will shift windows and play from December to early January. This change opened the door for several well-known players to join the BBL after completing their UAE commitments. However, SA20 has affected the availability of players like Kane Williamson.
Rashid Khan and Jacob Bethell were featured in IPL 2025
Rashid took 161 wickets at 96 T20I with an exceptional bowling average of 13.80 and an economic rate of 6.08. He averaged 18.62 and picked up 643 wickets in 477 T20 matches, earning his highest 6/17 number. Rashid played for the Gujarat Titans (GT) in IPL 2025, and his team lost in the Eliminator.
Jacob Bethel made his T20I debut in September 2024, already showing his potential. He averaged 40.14 and recorded a strike rate of 281 runs and a strike rate of 154.39. Bethel also scored four wickets in 13 games with a left-arm spin.
The left-handed batsman was part of the Royal Challenger Bengaluru (RCB) at IPL 2025. He missed the knockout match due to international commitment. However, the Bengaluru team won the final against King Punjab (PBK).
BBL Player Draft set for June 19 in Melbourne
The BBL player draft will take place in Melbourne on Thursday, June 19th. This year, the draft will be scheduled more than two months ahead of normal, expanding its talent pool and attracting more global stars. It also gives franchises more flexibility in planning team composition.
This marks the fourth edition of the BBL’s overseas player draft. Over 600 international players from 30 countries are registered. This includes not only major cricket nations, but also emerging countries such as Hong Kong, Rwanda, Japan, Greece, Indonesia and Hungary.
The Brisbane Heat, who finished seventh in the previous edition, will earn their first picks in both the first and second rounds of the draft.
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