Ace Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman will feature for Brisbane Heat in the upcoming eleventh edition of the Big Bash League (BBL), the franchise announced on Tuesday.
In the last season, Mujeeb was the team’s second-leading wicket-taker with 14 scalps from just eight games for the Heat.
The BBL 11 will kick-off on December 5 with the opening match between defending champions Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Stars.
In his three BBL seasons to date, Mujeeb has claimed 29 wickets from 26 games, averaging 21.24.
Commenting on the development, Mujeeb said: “I’m very pleased to have re-signed for Brisbane Heat for my fourth season with them. I’m very happy there, they’re great guys. The fans always support me and the team so I hope we can win the Big Bash for them.”
Meanwhile, Brisbane Heat head coach Wade Seccombe said Mujeeb was continuing to improve his game. “He was in the Northern Superchargers team that Darren Lehmann was coaching in The Hundred (in England) earlier this month, and Darren has reported back to us that he keeps getting better each time he sees him,” Seccombe said.
“It’s exciting for us to have him in the line-up again. It makes a big difference to how we match-up with other teams, and his skills and controls enable other players in our squad to come to the fore as well. It was notable how Mitch Swepson and Matt Kuhnemann enjoyed working with him last season so we’re looking forward to him arriving closer to the tournament and getting ready to go,” he added.
Recently, Mujjeb featured in seven matches of the inaugural season of The Hundred, claiming six wickets at an economy rate of 7.24.
Earlier in the day, Sydney Sixers has announced to re-sign England batsman James Vince for the upcoming season.
Vince, who amassed 537 runs in Sixers’ victorious campaign in the previous season, will eye to help his side win a hat-trick of BBL titles.
In the last season, 30-year-old Vince had smashed an unbeaten 98 in the first qualifier against Perth Scorchers before hitting a brilliant 95 against the same opposition in the season’s final.
“I don’t play for the personal accolades or awards, I play to be part of a winning team. What the Sixers have built on and off the field over the last few years is something really special and something I am proud to be part of,” Vince said in a statement.
“They are just a great bunch of lads and it’s everyone – players, coaches, support staff, the supporters. Shippy (Head Coach Greg Shipperd) creates an environment that we can all thrive in and we are all motivated to do our job for the team and our members and fans. To experience that final last season at the SCG, in what was our first trip back there all year, was something I’ll never forget,” he added.
Last week, the Sixers had acquired West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite for one more season.
Brisbane Heat (Squad):
Chris Lynn, Tom Banton, Xavier Bartlett, Sam Heazlett, Jimmy Peirson, Mark Steketee, Mitch Swepson, Matt Willans, Tom Cooper, Michael Neser, Marnus Labuschagne and Mujeeb Ur Rahman.