Islamabad, 4 November, 2026 (Ghufran): Bangladesh left-arm fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman has joined Melbourne Renegades for the 16th edition of the Big Bash League (BBL), marking his first appearance in Australia’s premier domestic T20 competition. The 31-year-old brings extensive franchise cricket experience, having featured in 331 T20 matches and claimed 423 wickets throughout his career. His signing comes after Melbourne Renegades suffered a setback with left-arm pacer Jason Behrendorff ruled out of the upcoming season due to a shoulder injury. Mustafizur, however, will miss the team’s opening fixture against Perth Scorchers because of his prior commitments in the International League T20 (ILT20). Expressing excitement over his maiden BBL appearance, the Bangladeshi pacer said he was looking forward to representing the Renegades and playing at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). He also expressed enthusiasm about bringing his international and franchise cricket experience to the squad. Renegades head coach Luke Ronchi described Mustafizur as an established match-winner in T20 cricket, highlighting his ability to take wickets during both the powerplay and final overs of an innings. The Bangladesh pacer will join England’s Jonny Bairstow and New Zealand’s Michael Bracewell as the team’s third overseas signing for the season. The 44-match BBL 16 competition will begin on December 12 with Melbourne Renegades facing Perth Scorchers in Chennai, marking the first time the tournament’s opening fixture will be staged in India. The regular season will conclude with consecutive double-headers on January 16 and 17, followed by the four-team finals series, beginning with the Qualifier on January 19. The tournament final is scheduled for January 26, with a reserve day available if required.