Sidelined Pakistan speedster Zaman Khan has replaced Shaheen Afridi in the Brisbane Heat squad for the remainder of the 2025/26 Big Bash League.
Zaman Khan replaces injured Shaheen Shah Afridi
Shaheen Shah Afridi, the spearhead of the Pakistan fast-bowling attack and current ODI captain, had to cut his maiden BBL stint short after suffering a knee injury.
Afridi, who got off to a torrid start on his BBL debut where he had to be barred from bowling after sending down two beamers, managed only four games this season. It wasn't a productive stint for him as he managed only two wickets at 76.50 and went for more than 11 runs per over.
On Monday (January 5), Brisbane Heat announced that they had signed his compatriot Zaman Khan as replacement.
“He’s a genuine wicket-taker up front but he can also control an over with his variations and pace,’’ Brisbane Heat coach Johan Botha said. “We know he can complement our attack nicely and give us some additional options in the key bowling periods in the game.
“Zaman was a handful for batting line-ups when he first came on the scene but he has really evolved his game to offer plenty of options with the ball.”
The last time Zaman featured in the BBL was in the 2023/24 season, when he turned out for Sydney Thunder, picking up eight wickets from four games at 16.37.
Known for his slingy action, Zaman has been out of the national set-up for a while now, having last played for Pakistan in April 2024. He has 10 T20Is and one ODI to his name so far. Zaman was last seen in action in the Abu Dhabi T10 league, where he picked up six wickets from six matches, going at 10.75 runs per over.
Follow Wisden for all cricket updates, including live scores, match stats, quizzes and more. Stay up to date with the latest cricket news, player updates, team standings, match highlights, video analysis and live match odds.
