Pretty in pink: The Sixers' Big Bash import history

Another Big Bash Draft is almost upon us as the league's eight clubs ramp up their preparations for KFC BBL|14 by adding at least two overseas players to their list for the coming season.

From BBL|14 onwards, clubs have also been able to sign an overseas player pre-draft to a multi-year contract, with Sydney Sixers pinching West Indian spinner Akeal Hosein from Melbourne Renegades for BBL|14 to help fill the void left by the retirement of club great Steve O'Keefe.

After 13 seasons of BBL, we're looking back, club-by-club, at every import that has turned out in the Big Bash, memorable or otherwise.

Adelaide Strikers | Brisbane Heat | Hobart Hurricanes | Melbourne Renegades | Melbourne Stars | Perth Scorchers | Sydney Sixers | Sydney Thunder

History of overseas signings

BBL|01: Dwayne Bravo, Michael Lumb, Nathan McCullum

 

BBL|02: Michael Lumb, Jeevan Mendis, Sunil Narine, Sachithra Senanayake

 

BBL|03: Ravi Bopara, Michael Lumb, Chris Tremlett

 

BBL|04: Michael Lumb, Riki Wessels

 

BBL|05: Johan Botha, Michael Lumb

 

BBL|06: Sam Billings, Michael Lumb, Colin Munro, Jason Roy

 

BBL|07: Sam Billings, Carlos Brathwaite, Jason Roy, Joe Denly

 

BBL|08: Tom Curran, Joe Denly, James Vince

 

BBL|09: Tom Curran, James Vince

 

BBL|10: Jake Ball, Carlos Brathwaite, Jason Holder, James Vince

 

BBL|11: Tom Curran, Chris Jordan, Shadab Khan, James Vince

 

BBL|12: Izharulhaq Naveed, Chris Jordan, Naveen-ul-Haq, James Vince

 

BBL|13: Tom Curran, James Vince

 

BBL|14: Akeal Hosein

The players (sorted by matches played)

James Vince (England)

Seasons: BBL|08 – BBL|13

 

M: 67 | Runs: 1785 | HS: 98no | SR: 130.48 | Ave: 31.31 | 50s: 10

Englishman Vince has been part of the furniture at the Sixers since BBL|08 and been a key part of their two titles in that time. Interestingly, he only got a taste of the BBL as a replacement player for Joe Denly in the second-half of his first tournament. Undoubtedly Vince's greatest moments in the Sixers shirt came during the BBL|10 finals series when he slammed back-to-back 90s – 98 not out in the Qualifier and 95 in the Final. The right-hander is one of two foreign players to score more than 1500 men's Big Bash runs, with only Alex Hales ahead of him. During BBL|11 he became the Sixers' most-capped international player, but it was his least productive campaign with the bat, hitting 149 runs at an average of 18.63.

Michael Lumb (England)

Seasons: BBL|01 – BBL|06

 

M: 42 | Runs: 986 | HS: 80 | SR: 124.81 | Ave: 24.05 | 50s: 5

A constant figure at the top of the order of the Sixers for the first six seasons of the BBL, the left-handed Lumb scored almost 1,000 runs in magenta. His best season was BBL|04, where he compiled 265 runs as the Sixers lost the final the Scorchers. An ankle injury while playing for Nottingham forced Lumb into an early retirement and ended his six-year relationship with the Big Bash.

Tom Curran (England)

Seasons: BBL|08 – BBL|09, BBL|11, BBL|13

 

M: 36 | Runs: 359 | HS: 62 | SR: 143.60 | Ave: 21.11 | 50s: 1

 

Wkts: 51 | BBI 4-22 | Econ: 8.25 | Ave: 19.76

Young England allrounder Curran had already impressed down under the year prior with a five-wicket haul in an ODI against Australia the season prior, so the signing ahead of BBL|08 looked like a smart call. And it paid off immediately for the Sixers as he took 3-24 and scored 62 in just his second match, a derby loss to the Thunder. It kick-started a sensational season where he took 20 wickets and scored 185 runs. His efforts the following summer proved it was no fluke, taking another 22 wickets but cruelly missing the Sixers' successful finals campaign due to national commitments. The pandemic meant Curran missed BBL|10 but he played four matches early in BBL|11 before a back injury ended his season prematurely. He returned in BBL|13, which turned into an unforgettable campaign where he was suspended for four matches for intimidating an umpire before another injury ended his season early. In the process, he became the leading overseas men's fast bowler in the competition's history, but he'll continue his BBL career at Melbourne Stars in BBL|14 after signing a two-year deal prior to the draft.

Carlos Brathwaite (West Indies)

Seasons: BBL|07, BBL|10

 

M: 20 | Runs: 64 | HS: 21 | SR: 110.34 | Ave: 7.11

 

Wkts: 22 | BBI: 4-18 | Econ: 7.87 | Ave: 22.41

The hero of the West Indies' 2016 T20 World Cup triumph, Brathwaite was selected as a replacement player after Sam Billings and Jason Roy left BBL|07 early. He took six wickets in four matches and proved to be very popular with fans and commentators, but international commitments meant he wasn't retained. That was, until BBL|10 when he signed up for the full campaign and an unlikely bromance with Lloyd Pope blossomed. He didn't produce the fireworks with the bat that he was capable of, but continued to be a very effective bowler with a best of 4-18 against the Heat.

Sam Billings (England)

Seasons: BBL|06 – BBL|07

 

M: 11 | Runs: 283 | HS: 61no | SR: 136.06 | Ave: 31.44 | 50s: 1

Before he became a fan favourite at the Thunder, Billings played 11 very successful matches for their fierce rivals, the Sixers. He reached 40 in three of his four innings in BBL|06 and played a couple of entertaining cameos in BBL|07 too, including a whirlwind 61 not out off 31 balls in a narrow loss to the Hurricanes. Unfortunately for the Sixers, the dynamic keeper-batter only managed 11 games across two seasons.

Joe Denly (England)

Seasons: BBL|07 – BBL|08

 

M: 11 | Runs: 283 | HS: 76 | SR: 115.98 | Ave: 35.38 | 50s: 2

Denly first appeared in the BBL as a replacement player for Jason Roy and filled the void with aplomb, actually out-performing the first-choice Roy. He debuted with 43 off 29 and finished the season with a sparkling 72 not out off 45 against the Stars. Denly's BBL|08 was far more underwhelming, failing to score over 15 in his first six innings. But he signed off with an unbeaten 76 against the Strikers before he flew home to England for national duties.

Jason Roy (England)

Seasons: BBL|06 – BBL|07

 

M: 10 | Runs: 154 | HS: 40 | SR: 131.62 | Ave: 15.40

Following a disappointing three-game stint with the Thunder in BBL|04, Roy gave the BBL another crack with cross-town rivals the Sixers. The big-hitter smashed 40 off only 22 balls in his second match in magenta but could only play four matches in BBL|06 before he was called into England's T20 squad to face India. He played another six games in BBL|07 but his scores reflected a batter that was terribly out of form: 2, 19, 21, 6, 5 and 9. The England opener wouldn't be called back by the Sixers but would play for the Scorchers in BBL|10, which was a far more successful experience for the right hander.

Chris Jordan (England)

Seasons: BBL|11 – BBL|12

 

M: 9 | Wkts: 7 | BBI: 2-25 | Econ: 8.45 | Ave: 39.85

Following on from separate stints with the Strikers, Scorchers and Thunder, paceman Jordan joined the Sixers for BBL|11. He was a replacement player for the injured Carlos Brathwaite but could only commit for the first five games with an England tour of the West Indies upcoming. Although he was exceptionally effective at the 2021 and 2022 men's T20 World Cup, he was considerably less so for the Sixers in the BBL and finished with only three wickets from his five matches, returning to add another four in four BBL|12 matches before being drafted by the Hurricanes for BBL|13.

Riki Wessels (England)

Season: BBL|04

 

M: 9 | Runs: 205 | HS: 50 | SR: 112.64 | Ave: 22.78 | 50s: 1

The Sixers needed to boost their batting stocks for BBL|04 and called on the experienced wicketkeeper batter to the do the job. The son of former Test batter Kepler, Wessels was well-known on the county circuit for his use of the reverse sweep, a shot he used a lot due to his hockey background. Wessels hit a 32-ball fifty in his second match and was fairly consistent as the Sixers' No.3. However, the decision to push him up to open in the BBL final backfired as he was out for only two.

Izharulhaq Naveed (Afghanistan)

Season: BBL|12

 

M: 9 | Wkts: 9 | BBI: 2-22 | Econ: 7.37 | Ave: 28.66

A bolter in the inaugural BBL|12 overseas player draft when he was plucked from nowhere by Sixers coach Greg Shipperd with pick 28. The Afghan leg-spinner played nine games that season, teaming up with Todd Murphy and Steve O'Keefe. He was also signed as a replacement player for English leggie Rehan Ahmed BBL|13 but didn't feature in any matches that season.

Johan Botha (South Africa)

Season: BBL|05

 

M: 8 | Runs: 99 | HS: 38no | SR: 115.12 | Ave: 16.50

 

Wkts: 2 | BBI: 1-13 | Econ: 8.26 | Ave: 95.00

South African spinner Botha was a big acquisition for the Sixers for BBL|05 having played the first four seasons of the Big Bash with the Strikers. However, the normally reliable offie had a tough time, taking only two wickets in eight matches. Botha stayed on the Sixers roster for BBL|06 and BBL|07 but after gaining Australian citizenship in November 2016, he no longer took up an international spot on the list.

Jake Ball (England)

Season: BBL|10

 

M: 7 | Wkts: 9 | BBI: 3-25 | Econ: 11.13 | Ave: 29.67

With Tom Curran out of the tournament and Jason Holder's three-game stint over, the Sixers called on Nottingham quick Ball to bolster their pace attack. Although he took wickets, he was super expensive – he only conceded fewer than 10 runs per over on only one occasion. He was left out of the Sixers' side for the finals series.

Sunil Narine (West Indies)

Season: BBL|02

 

M: 5 | Wkts: 1 | BBI: 1-23 | Econ: 6.80 | Ave: 136.00

The mystery spinner from Trinidad and Tobago had already dominated the IPL, Champions League and international cricket but his five-game stint in BBL|02 just didn't live up to the hype surrounding him. He was economical, but it took until his fifth match to take his first BBL wicket. At this point of his career he was still considered a tailender, so batted only twice for a total of 11 runs.

Ravi Bopara (England)

Season: BBL|03

 

M: 4 | Runs: 68 | HS: 27 | SR: 117.24 | Ave: 22.67

 

Wkts: 2 | BBI: 1-30 | Econ: 7.93 | Ave: 55.50

English allrounder Bopara replaced compatriot Chris Tremelett in pink, who had been called into England's Ashes squad, and played four games at the start of BBL|03. Bopara had no standout performances but he did contribute in most of his four matches, three of which the Sixers won. His 27 not out off 17 balls proved to be vital in the successful chase against the Thunder.

Dwayne Bravo (West Indies)

Season: BBL|01

 

M: 4 | Runs: 61 | HS: 51 | SR: 112.96 | Ave: 20.33 | 50s: 1

 

Wkts: 1 | BBI: 1-20 | Econ: 9.17 | Ave: 55.00

After representing Victoria in the state-based T20 Big Bash the previous two summers, West Indian allrounder Bravo signed up as a foundation member of the Sixers. He played in their first four matches, before jetting off to the Caribbean T20 League to play for Trinidad and Tobago. He didn't cause any damage with the ball and his greatest moment with the bat interestingly came as an opener, smashing 51 off 39 balls against the Stars.

Shadab Khan (Pakistan)

Season: BBL|11

 

M: 4 | Wkts: 1 | BBI: 1-36 | Econ: 7.89 | Ave: 36.00

Pakistan leg-spinner Shadab Khan was called upon as a replacement player for Chris Jordan and his trip to Australia started with him in a forced isolation from the rest of his team, a common sight in BBL|11. He bowled three times and managed only one wicket, before the Pakistan white-ball vice-captain left the BBL with three regular season matches still remaining to prepare for the Pakistan Super League.

Jeevan Mendis (Sri Lanka)

Season: BBL|02

 

M: 4 | Runs: 15 | HS: 8 | SR: 100.00 | Ave: 5.00

 

Wkts: 1 | BBI: 1-19 | Econ: 7.30 | Ave: 73.00

Fresh off a series with Sri Lanka, batting allrounder Mendis signed on for the first four matches of BBL|02. Although he was given a crack in the middle order, there wasn't too much to celebrate for Sixers fans as he delivered a trio of single-figure scores before being replaced by the returning Michael Lumb.

Jason Holder (West Indies)

Season: BBL|10

 

M: 3 | Runs: 62 | HS: 33no | SR: 182.35 | Ave: 62.00

 

Wkts: 2 | BBI: 1-26 | Econ: 8.30 | Ave: 41.50

Former West Indies skipper Holder signed a three-game contract at the start of BBL|09 and his class was evident, particularly with the bat. He averaged a boundary every three balls and cleared the rope at least once in each of his three innings. He signed off with a match-winning 33 not out off 18 balls against the Renegades in one of the best finishes of the tournament.

Nathan McCullum (New Zealand)

Season: BBL|01

 

M: 3 | Runs: 23 | HS: 20 | SR: 95.83 | Ave: 11.50

 

Wkts: 3 | BBI: 2-8 | Econ: 6.50 | Ave: 17.33

The brother of New Zealand legend Brendon, Nathan McCullum got a few games at the end BBL|01. The bowling allrounder played a key role with the ball for the Sixers including taking 1-18 in the semi-final against the Hurricanes but unfortunately domestic commitments with Otago in New Zealand ruled him out of the final. A few months later though, he would go on to represent the Sixers in the 2012 Champions League in South Africa.

Colin Munro (New Zealand)

Season: BBL|06

 

M: 3 | Runs: 27 | HS: 23 | SR: 117.39 | Ave: 9.00

Munro was brought into BBL|06 as a replacement player for Jason Roy and he came in with form, having hit a T20I century against Bangladesh only eight days before his first Sixers match. The Kiwi managed 27 runs in three innings though, with his 23 off 11 balls against the Heat showing a glimpse of his destructive potential.

Naveen-ul-Haq (Afghanistan)

Season: BBL|12

 

M: 2 | Wkts: 2 | BBI: 1-33 | Econ: 9.85 | Ave: 34.50

The Afghanistan speedster has quickly become one of his nation's most important players, rising to No.25 in the men's T20 international bowler rankings during their run to the 2024 men's T20 World Cup semi-finals. Unfortunately, his Big Bash stint in December 2022 was only as short one and he didn't get to showcase his full potential in his two matches.

Sachithra Senanayake (Sri Lanka)

Season: BBL|02

 

M: 2 | Wkts: 1 | BBI: 1-19 | Econ: 4.75 | Ave: 38.00

Following Sunil Narine's exit to the Caribbean T20 league, the Sixers signed up Sri Lanka spinner Senanayake to get them through until the end of the season. He proved very tough to get away in both his matches, conceding only 19 runs from his four overs in both matches and bowling a maiden in both as well.

Chris Tremlett (England)

Season: BBL|03

 

M: 1 | Wkts: 0 | BBI: 0-9 | Econ: 9.00 | Ave: N/A

Chris Tremlett was supposed to be available for the entire BBL but a late call-up to England's Ashes squad put paid to those plans. After the 2013-14 Ashes finished however, Tremlett played in a thrilling match against the Scorchers that ended in a Super Over. However, the tall quick's influence was very limited bowling only one over for nine runs before an elbow injury ruled him out for the remainder of the tournament.