Rashid Khan finalizes his BBL team for next two seasons

Big Bash League 07 champions Adelaide Strikers has already started prepping for the next season, with a significant early coup in their title defence by announcing their attack will be led by star strike pair of Rashid Khan and Billy Stanlake in coming years. Afghanistan spin sensation Rashid Khan has extended his existing contract for a further season until BBL 09 in 2019-20 while Stanlake agreed to a further two years to extend his tenure through to BBL 10.

Rashid, the 19-year-old leg spinner who climbed to the top of the ODI bowling charts, was the equal-leading wicket-taker in BBL 7 (alongside Dwayne Bravo) with 18 from his 11 matches with the Strikers. The Associate cricketer became the youngest man to claim the numero uno spot in the history of the sport.

T20 specialist seamers Michael Neser and Ben Laughlin, who had initial contracts until the end of next season, have also agreed to new terms for an additional two years and one year respectively.

Proteas cricketer Colin Ingram, who led the Strikers when regular skipper Travis Head was absent for national duties, will also return next summer. He will feature alongside recently capped Australia limited-overs keeper Alex Carey and opener Jake Weatherald who was named the player of the match in the final for his quickfire century.

Travis Head is the first-choice squad member to ink a new deal

According to Cricket.com.au, The uncontracted trio of batter Jake Lehmann, young quick Wes Agar and emerging leg-spinner Liam O’Connor – who deputised for Rashid in this month’s final – have all signed two-year deals that will keep them at the Strikers until at least the completion of BBL 09.

The series of signings ensures that the Strikers will retain a bulk of the squad that won this summer’s BBL trophy, with only Head among the first-choice squad members yet to ink a new deal. However, Strikers officials are confident the 24-year-old will once again take the reins of the team where he began his T20 career as a teenager in 2013.