Stars recruit international wild card for Heat clash

Melbourne Stars have taken a punt on another unknown Pakistan quick to replace Big Bash sensation Haris Rauf, drafting Dilbar Hussain into their squad for tomorrow night's clash against Brisbane Heat.

Rauf, who was playing club cricket in Tasmania only a month ago, has been officially released from the Stars' playing group after sensationally being called into Pakistan's T20 squad following his KFC BBL heroics so far this season.

The Stars are hopeful Rauf will be back for their finals campaign but, in the interim, they have brought Hussain into their squad as a replacement.

Little is known about Hussain, apart from the fact he's played alongside Rauf as a development player at the Lahore Qalanders in the Pakistan Super League. He was also in an extended Qalanders squad alongside Rauf and the likes of Shahid Afridi, Heat spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Strikers opener Phil Salt and Scorchers quick Chris Jordan at the Abu Dhabi T10 League in November.

He and Rauf also played for the Qalanders in pre-season matches against the Sixers, Thunder and Hurricanes at the start of the 2018-19 season.

Meanwhile, Stars opener Hilton Cartwright is racing to be fit for the finals after scans confirmed he has a fractured right hand.

The in-form right-hander missed Wednesday’s loss to the Strikers and will now be assessed over the weekend to see if he will be fit in time for the Stars’ first final on Friday.

Paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile has also been added to the Stars squad to face the Heat, while Glenn Maxwell will again captain the side after stepping down as skipper against the Strikers due to the passing of a close friend.

Meanwhile, the Heat have axed Test opener Joe Burns from their squad as they look to keep their finals chances alive with a much-needed win.

Burns was dropped for last night's defeat to the Sixers in Brisbane in favour of Test teammate Marnus Labuschagne, and he's now been left out of the squad altogether and replaced by young paceman Jack Prestwidge.

A loss to the Stars could leave the Heat's season on a knife's edge heading into their final match against the Renegades on Monday, with the Chris Lynn-led side needing other results to go their way if they are to finish in the top five.

In the first match of Saturday’s double header, the Sixers have recalled Test and ODI paceman Josh Hazlewood for their game against the Renegades as they chase a top-two spot and a second chance in the new-look finals system.

Hazlewood comes in for Ben Manenti, completing a trio of star late-season inclusions alongside Nathan Lyon and Steve Smith that have the Sixers well placed to win their first title since BBL|01.

They will take on a Renegades side that is out of the race for finals but will welcome back captain Aaron Finch and pacemen Kane Richardson from international duty.

The Gades will be without star batters Sam Harper (concussion) and Shaun Marsh (hamstring), while former Test opener Marcus Harris and fast bowler Andrew Fekete have been dropped.

Young quick Zac Evans has also come in alongside new recruit Brayden Stepien, a wicketkeeper-batsman from Melbourne club Carlton who will take Harper's spot behind the stumps.

Sixers v Renegades at the SCG

Saturday Jan 25, 3.40pm AEDT

Sixers: Jackson Bird, Tom Curran, Ben Dwarshius, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques (c), Dan Hughes, Nathan Lyon, Steve O'Keefe, Josh Philippe, Lloyd Pope, Jordan Silk, Steve Smith, James Vince

Renegades: Aaron Finch (c), Cameron Boyse, Dan Christian, Tom Cooper, Zak Evans, Nathan McSweeney, Mohammad Nabi, Samit Patel, Kane Richardson, Brayden Stepien, Will Sutherland, Beau Webster, Jack Wildermuth

Stars v Heat at the MCG

Saturday Jan 25, 7.10pm AEDT

Stars: Glenn Maxwell (c), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Ben Dunk, Seb Gotch, Peter Handscomb, Clint Hinchliffe, Dilbar Hussain, Sandeep Lamichhane, Nick Larkin, Nic Maddinson, Marcus Stoinis, Daniel Worrall, Adam Zampa

Heat: Chris Lynn (c), Ben Cutting, Sam Heazlett, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Lalor, Ben Laughlin, James Pattinson, James Peirson, Jack Prestwidge, Matthew Renshaw, Mitch Swepson, AB de Villiers, Mujeeb Ur Rahman