Last season, Bangladeshi leg-spinner Rishad Hossain opted to play in the Big Bash League (BBL) rather than the BPL.
He delivered a strong performance for the Hobart Hurricanes, and as a reward for that showing, the franchise has retained him for the upcoming season.
In a post on social media, Hobart confirmed that Rishad has been retained for the new season on Thursday. Adam Zampa will also play for Hobart next season.
Hobart failed to reach the final in the previous edition. Rishad’s team was eliminated after a 57-run defeat to the Sydney Sixers in the Challenger match. He took 2 wickets while conceding 33 runs across his 4 overs.
Throughout the tournament, Rishad was Hobart’s leading wicket-taker, claiming 15 wickets in 12 matches. He bowled at an economy rate of 7.82, with his best bowling figures being 3 wickets for 26 runs.
General Manager of High Performance for the Hobart Hurricanes Sallian Beams said,”Rishad Hossain’s strong interest in returning to Hobart played a key role in finalising the deal.
Rishad made it very clear to us that he had a great time in Hobart last season and wanted to return. That meant a lot to us.”
Beams added, “Our team-building plans shifted slightly after we brought Adam Zampa into the squad.
When a quality cricketer like Rishad shows such keen interest in returning to the Hurricanes, we wanted to explore every possible avenue to make that happen.”
Rishad was originally scheduled to play in Hobart during the 2024-25 seasons. He signed a contract for that stint, he was unable to go due to his commitments in the BPL and international cricket. However, last season, he opted to skip the BPL in order to play there.
The new Big Bash season begins on December 12. Bangladesh’s tour of South Africa concludes on December 13, after which the 24-year-old leg-spinner will be able to travel to Australia.