Big Bash League 2026-27 Teams, Captains & Squads

Eight teams will compete in the Big Bash League 2026-27, with 125 confirmed primary-squad players and 19 roster places available as of 14 November. The latest domestic additions include Hugo Burdon and Harry Hoekstra at Sydney Thunder, Albert Esterhuysen at Perth Scorchers and Harjas Singh at Adelaide Strikers.

BBL 2026-27BBL ScheduleSQUADS

Perth Scorchers enter BBL|16 as defending champions after winning their sixth title. The tournament begins on 12 December with Melbourne Renegades facing Perth Scorchers in Chennai.

Each team plays ten regular-season matches before the top four advance to the finals.

View the confirmed BBL 2026-27 squads for full team lists and contract details.

How many teams are playing in BBL|16?

Eight teams compete in BBL|16, with a maximum of 18 primary-squad players per club.

Hobart Hurricanes and Sydney Sixers lead the squad-completion table with 17 contracted players each. Melbourne Renegades, Perth Scorchers and Sydney Thunder follow with 16.

Six clubs have completed their overseas recruitment: Adelaide Strikers, Melbourne Renegades, Melbourne Stars, Perth Scorchers, Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder.

Brisbane Heat and Hobart Hurricanes each have one overseas primary-squad vacancy remaining.

The figures exclude temporary replacement players from the permanent squad counts.

Which grounds will the BBL teams use in 2026 27?

Every club has five designated home fixtures, although several teams use more than one venue.

The biggest venue change is in Melbourne, where the Renegades move their primary home operation to the MCG. The club also uses Junction Oval and Chennai for its five home fixtures. Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder again split home games between Sydney and Canberra, while Hobart returns to Launceston for one fixture.

The Renegades will host Perth Scorchers in Chennai on 12 December, while Hobart Hurricanes return to University of Tasmania Stadium in Launceston during BBL|16.

Find each ground’s scheduled matches in the BBL fixture list, or check ticket booking information before choosing a match.

What changed in BBL|16 squad building?

The overseas player draft has been removed for BBL|16. Clubs now negotiate directly with Australian and international players.

Each team may have:

This makes the current squad counts more fluid than in previous seasons. A player who represented a club in BBL|15 does not automatically remain part of that team’s BBL|16 squad.

Adelaide Strikers

Adelaide Strikers have 14 confirmed players for BBL 2026-27 following the signing of Australian batter Harjas Singh.

The domestic addition strengthens Adelaide’s batting depth alongside Matt Short, Alex Carey, Jason Sangha and Liam Scott.

Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf remains the club’s headline overseas recruit after moving from Melbourne Stars. He joins England allrounder Ben Stokes and New Zealand batter Mark Chapman, with all three available for the full tournament.

Matt Short continues as captain under head coach Tim Paine.

Adelaide begin their campaign against Sydney Thunder on 16 December before their first home match at Adelaide Oval on 23 December.

Squad status: 14 confirmed players, four primary roster vacancies and all three overseas positions filled.

Brisbane Heat

Brisbane Heat have 15 confirmed players for BBL|16 after re-signing wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson.

Peirson returns for his 13th Big Bash season, having played 124 matches for Brisbane, more than any other player in the club’s men’s history. His return strengthens the wicketkeeping group and adds leadership experience.

James Hopes is the new head coach, while the captaincy remains unannounced.

The Heat have signed England allrounder Tom Curran and New Zealand batter Tim Robinson as their two primary overseas players. Bevon Jacobs will separately cover Curran’s first three matches as an International Replacement Player.

Usman Khawaja, Matthew Renshaw, Max Bryant, Xavier Bartlett, Michael Neser and Spencer Johnson are among Brisbane’s established players.

Squad status: 15 confirmed players, three primary vacancies and one overseas position available.

Hobart Hurricanes

Hobart Hurricanes are one signing away from completing their BBL|16 primary squad after bringing back Bangladesh leg-spinner Rishad Hossain.

Rishad took 15 wickets in 12 games during BBL|15 and was named Hobart’s Player of the Year. His return gives Jeff Vaughan two experienced leg-spinners alongside Australian recruit Adam Zampa.

The important difference is availability. Rishad has signed for the first eight matches, while Zampa provides a domestic spin option without occupying an overseas place.

Nathan Ellis remains Hobart Hurricanes captain under head coach Jeff Vaughan.

Shai Hope and Rishad Hossain occupy two overseas positions, with Rishad available for the first eight matches. Adam Zampa is an Australian domestic signing and does not occupy an overseas place.

Squad status: 17 confirmed primary-squad players, one roster vacancy and one overseas position available.

Melbourne Renegades

Melbourne Renegades have completed their overseas recruitment for BBL|16 by signing Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman. The 31-year-old joins England wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow and New Zealand allrounder Michael Bracewell as Melbourne’s three overseas recruits.

Mustafizur adds left-arm pace, slower-ball variations and death-over bowling experience following Jason Behrendorff’s season-ending shoulder injury. Behrendorff remains contracted but will not play in BBL|16.

Mustafizur will miss the 12 December opener in Chennai because of his ILT20 commitments with Dubai Capitals. He is expected to join Melbourne after that campaign, although his first BBL appearance is not yet confirmed.

Will Sutherland remains captain under new head coach Luke Ronchi. The squad also includes Jake Fraser-McGurk, Josh Brown, Ollie Peake, Tom Rogers, Brendan Doggett and recent signing Ben Manenti.

The Renegades have introduced The Fizz Bay for their MCG home matches on 1 January against Sydney Sixers and 16 January against Melbourne Stars, giving Bangladesh supporters a dedicated match-day area.

Squad status: 16 confirmed primary players, two roster vacancies and all three overseas positions filled.

Melbourne Stars

Melbourne Stars have 14 confirmed players and four primary-squad places available. Finn Allen, Jamie Overton and Craig Overton fill all three overseas positions, while Todd Murphy is a domestic signing.

Marcus Stoinis remains captain and Cameron White is the new head coach. The Stars have added Finn Allen from Perth Scorchers, Todd Murphy from Sydney Sixers and England fast bowling twins Jamie Overton and Craig Overton.

Glenn Maxwell, Sam Harper, Hilton Cartwright, Mitch Swepson, Peter Siddle and Tom Rogers are also part of the confirmed squad.

Melbourne Stars remain the only current BBL team without a men’s championship.

Perth Scorchers

Perth Scorchers have strengthened their domestic fast-bowling depth by signing 20-year-old Albert Esterhuysen for BBL|16.

The Western Australian quick earned his first Big Bash contract after impressive Sheffield Shield and One-Day Cup performances, including a four-wicket haul on his first-class debut against Queensland.

Esterhuysen joins an experienced pace group featuring Jhye Richardson, Lance Morris, Mahli Beardman and Brody Couch.

Perth have completed their overseas recruitment with Zak Crawley, Calvin Harrison and Aneurin Donald. Crawley adds top-order experience, Donald provides aggressive batting and wicketkeeping cover, while Harrison strengthens the spin attack.

Ashton Turner remains captain under long-serving head coach Adam Voges.

The six-time champions open their title defence against Melbourne Renegades in Chennai on 12 December before hosting Hobart Hurricanes at Optus Stadium on 20 December.

Squad status: 16 confirmed players, two primary roster vacancies and no overseas positions available.

Sydney Sixers

Sydney Sixers have 17 confirmed players for BBL|16 after re-signing English leg-spinner Jafer Chohan on a one-year contract.

Chohan joins Tim Seifert and Chris Jordan as Sydney’s third overseas player, completing their international roster.

The 24-year-old leg-spinner strengthens a bowling group that recently welcomed Western Australia off-spinner Corey Rocchiccioli. Together with Joel Davies, the new signings give head coach Matthew Mott several spin-bowling options.

Sydney have also recruited Ollie Davies from Sydney Thunder and Fergus O’Neill from Melbourne Renegades.

Following Moises Henriques’ retirement, the Sixers have not yet announced their new captain. The club finished as runners-up in BBL|15.

The Sixers have also introduced Magenta Mela, a dedicated South Asian supporter bay at the SCG, replacing the previous Babaristan branding.

Squad status: 17 confirmed players, one primary vacancy and no overseas places available.

Sydney Thunder

Sydney Thunder have added two promising Australian players ahead of BBL|16, signing Victorian left-arm fast bowler Harry Hoekstra and Queensland batter Hugo Burdon.

Hoekstra impressed in the Sheffield Shield with match figures of 9/98 against Tasmania and adds another left-arm pace option alongside Trent Boult and Daniel Sams.

Burdon strengthens the batting group after scoring 73 from 70 balls against Victoria and 67 from 49 deliveries against Western Australia in the One-Day Cup.

Earlier recruit Will Salzmann also provides domestic pace-bowling and batting depth.

David Warner remains captain, with Andrew Flintoff beginning his first season as head coach.

Thunder’s overseas positions are filled by Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson and Sam Billings. Boult and Ferguson are available throughout the tournament, including finals.

Thunder begin their BBL|16 campaign against Adelaide Strikers at Manuka Oval on 16 December, before facing Sydney Sixers at ENGIE Stadium on 19 December.

Squad status: 16 confirmed players, two primary roster vacancies and no overseas positions available.

Which BBL Players Have Changed Teams for 2026-27?

The BBL|16 contracting period has included several major overseas transfers and domestic signings.

Harry Hoekstra and Albert Esterhuysen are new BBL recruits, not transfers between existing Big Bash clubs. Hugo Burdon is also awaiting his competition debut despite his earlier association with Hobart.

Explore the full BBL 2026-27 player signings tracker for contracts, announcements and squad availability.

Are Haris Rauf, Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi playing in BBL 2026-27?

Haris Rauf is confirmed for BBL 2026-27 after signing with Adelaide Strikers. The Pakistan fast bowler will be available for the full tournament, including finals.

Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi remain outside the confirmed BBL|16 primary-squad lists. Mohammad Rizwan and Shadab Khan are also not currently listed as contracted players.

Which BBL team has won the most titles?

Perth Scorchers are the most successful men’s BBL team with six championships.

Seven of the eight current BBL teams have won the men’s competition. Melbourne Stars remain the only club without a championship.