Khawaja, Labuschagne set for Heat's BBL opener

Australia's Test top order duo Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne will play in the opening round of the KFC BBL for the Brisbane Heat.

Labuschagne, fresh from playing a pivotal role in Australia’s ODI World Cup win in India earlier this week, and Test opener Khawaja have committed to play the club's opening fixture against the Melbourne Stars.

The game, on December 7 at the Gabba, comes just a week before Australia's first Test against Pakistan begins in Perth.

Khawaja has played just two Marsh Sheffield Shield fixtures for Queensland this summer, rested from two matches by Cricket Australia to keep the left-hander who turns 37 in December fresh for a seven-Test season that includes home series with Pakistan and West Indies before two matches away to New Zealand. 

Their inclusions are a welcome boost for the competition and the Heat.

The league has seen the top two picks from this year's international player draft pull out – yesterday top pick Rashid Khan withdrew due to a back injury that saw the Afghan leg-spinner have surgery overnight, while last week No.2 pick England's Harry Brook withdrew from his deal with the Stars, citing workload.

The Stars have an English player on their books they have yet to publicly announce, who was due to fill in for Brook for the first three games he had been expected to miss.

The presence of Khawaja and Labuschagne also offsets the handful of first-choice players the Heat will be without following selections for the Prime Minister's XI squad.

Batters Matthew Renshaw and Nathan McSweeney, wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson and allrounder Michael Neser will all be playing the first-class fixture against Pakistan in Canberra that runs from December 6-9.

Stars' quick Mark Steketee, whom they signed this off-season from the Heat, will also be involved in the PM's XI match.

But the Stars will welcome back Aussie World Cup stars Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis for the match following the five-match T20 series in India.

The Stars also expect to have Pakistan pair Haris Rauf and Usama Mir, plus their Hampshire-based batter and left-arm orthodox spinner who has played 11 T20s for his country.

The Heat will have their three draft picks, Colin Munro, Sam Billings and Paul Walter all available.

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