BBL 2023-24: Afghanistan's Izharulhaq Naveed joins Sydney Sixers as Rehan Ahmed pulls out

The Sydney Sixers have welcomed back Afghanistan's Izharulhaq Naveed for this season's BBL, filling in the spot left vacant by England's Rehan Ahmed, who withdrew due to his selection for the West Indies tour. Naveed made a surprising yet impactful debut last year, clinching nine wickets in nine games with an impressive economy rate of 7.37. His stellar performance placed him at the top of the list when the Sixers sought a replacement, showcasing his worth to the team.

Joining Rehan in withdrawing from the BBL are Harry Brook and Zak Crawley, both selected for the West Indies ODI leg, delaying Crawley's arrival for the Perth Scorchers' campaign. Moreover, Davies, though not part of the official tour, is engaged as a net bowler during the Australia T20I squad's stint in India, aiming for learning and development opportunities.

"We are not going to get to see Rehan Ahmed this season but we wish him well, and at the same time welcome Naveed back to the club. We are fortunate to have been able to bring back a player of Naveed's talent and we know he will fit in with our group. Our spinning group is building nicely with SOK [O'Keefe], Todd and young Joel Davies, whose left arm offies complement his strong batting and fielding," Sixers coach Greg Shipperd said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.

Sixers say ‘thank you so much’ to Nathan Lyon

Notably, the Sixers bid farewell to Nathan Lyon, who moved to the Melbourne Renegades and is set to face his former team in the opening clash at the SCG before heading for Test duty. However, the team anticipates having Steven Smith back for the game and eyes his participation in the much-awaited derby against the Sydney Thunder on January 12.

Meanwhile, Murphy will miss the opening match as he's been selected for the Prime Minister's XI against Pakistan. Recent overseas signings for the BBL include England's David Payne joining Adelaide Strikes as Rashid Khan's replacement, and all-rounder Liam Dawson signing with the Melbourne Stars for the initial three games, following Payne's stint with the title-winning Perth Scorchers last season.