Cricket Australia (CA) CEO Todd Greenberg has confirmed that Pakistani players contracted for Big Bash League (BBL) 2025-26 will play the entire season. Greenberg said that even though Pakistan is scheduled to tour Sri Lanka for T20Is in January, Pakistani cricketers will still prioritize their BBL commitments.

After the PCB announced the T20I series in Sri Lanka, there was uncertainty over the participation of Pakistani players in the BBL. Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf and Hasan Ali have all played in the BBL and the schedule has cast doubt on their availability.

They’ll play the entire BBL – CA CEO Todd Greenberg talks Pakistan players

Cricket Australia remains confident that Pakistani players contracted for the Big Bash League will stay for the entire tournament. Speaking in Adelaide ahead of the third Ashes Test, CA chief executive Todd Greenberg said the board had been assured that BBL signings would not be withdrawn midway.

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“We were told that if they were signed by the BBL, they would play the entire BBL,” Greenberg said.

Australia will travel to Pakistan for a T20I series ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup. However, the schedule for the T20I series is yet to be confirmed. As part of adjustments to future tour plans, the ODI leg of the tour will be postponed to June, after the conclusion of the IPL and PSL.

We just sent a few people to Pakistan – Todd Greenberg

Greenberg also confirmed that plans for Australia’s T20I tour of Pakistan ahead of the T20 World Cup are progressing. While a date has yet to be confirmed, Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association have sent representatives to Pakistan to assess security arrangements.

“We have just sent a few guys to Pakistan for a pre-tour for the T20Is in February,” he said. “After the Ashes series is over we will have some conversations with the players and explain to them how it works in terms of safety. But I went there with them in 2022 and it was an amazing experience.”

The pink-ball Test was incredible – Todd Greenberg

Todd Greenberg says night matches during pink-ball Tests attract bigger crowds than traditional day matches. He added that Australia will host at least one pink-ball Test match before 2031. Greenberg says this plays a major role in boosting interest amid the changing nature of Test cricket.

“I just looked at the numbers at the Gabba and the pink-ball Test was unbelievable,” Greenberg said. “Especially for the night games, the crowd was twice as big as the last game today. There’s no doubt it’s a successful opportunity for cricket. It gets more people watching and getting involved.

“In our broadcast contract, until 2031, we will have pink-ball Tests. So it won’t go anywhere. There won’t be more games and I won’t play five of them in the summer. But it has real benefits. I know there will be critics of it and I’m not asking everyone to like it. But that’s the evolution of Test cricket.”

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