Brisbane Heat in BBL 2026-27: Meet the New-Look Squad and See Every Match

Brisbane Heat have 14 players contracted for Big Bash League 2026-27. Usman Khawaja has returned for the full season, Tom Curran and Tim Robinson are the new overseas signings, and James Hopes is the new head coach. The BBL|16 captain has not yet been announced.

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Brisbane Heat BBL|16 at a glance

The Brisbane Heat are one of eight teams competing in BBL|16. The club will play ten regular-season matches, with the top four teams progressing to the finals.

Who is in the Brisbane Heat squad for BBL 2026-27?

Brisbane Heat have confirmed 13 players for BBL|16. The current list includes five players contracted beyond this season, two new overseas recruits and a pace group built around Xavier Bartlett, Spencer Johnson and Michael Neser.

You can compare the Heat list with all eight clubs on the BBL 2026-27 squad page.

What has changed for Brisbane Heat ahead of BBL|16?

Brisbane Heat have changed both their coaching setup and overseas-player combination for BBL|16. James Hopes has replaced Johan Botha as head coach, while Tom Curran and Tim Robinson have joined as direct overseas signings.

The Heat have not retained Shaheen Shah Afridi, Colin Munro or Zaman Khan on their current primary list.

These are the main confirmed changes:

• James Hopes has become head coach.
• Tom Curran has joined after two seasons with Melbourne Stars.
• Tim Robinson has signed for his first Big Bash season.
• Marnus Labuschagne is currently uncontracted.
• No BBL|16 captain has been announced.
• No specialist wicketkeeper is listed among the 13 confirmed players.

Who are Brisbane Heat’s new overseas signings?

Tom Curran

Tom Curran gives Brisbane Heat an experienced pace bowler who can also contribute late in an innings. The England all-rounder has previously represented Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash.

Curran joined the Heat after taking 72 wickets in his first 52 BBL matches. His record includes figures of 4-10 for Melbourne Stars during BBL|15. He also brings experience from almost 300 professional T20 matches.

Brisbane signed Curran under the direct-signing system introduced for BBL|16. The overseas player draft is not being used this season. His arrival adds another experienced option to a pace group containing Bartlett, Johnson, Neser, Vidler and Wildermuth.

Tim Robinson

Tim Robinson is a right-handed top-order batter from New Zealand. BBL|16 will be his first season in the Big Bash League.

The Wellington batter has shown that he can score quickly against international and domestic attacks. His recent performances include an unbeaten 106 from 66 balls for New Zealand against Australia and a career-best Super Smash score of 139 from 64 deliveries.

Brisbane Heat have signed Robinson for the entire BBL|16 competition. That full-season availability could make him an important top-order option if Australian internationals or additional signings are unavailable.

Will Usman Khawaja captain Brisbane Heat in BBL|16?

Usman Khawaja has re-signed with Brisbane Heat for BBL|16, but the club has not confirmed its captain for the new season.

Khawaja led Brisbane when available during his previous four-year contract, including the final three matches of BBL|15. His new BBL|16 deal confirms his return as a player, but it does not automatically confirm that he will continue as captain under new head coach James Hopes.

Brisbane Heat should therefore be listed with Usman Khawaja confirmed as a player and captain TBC until the club announces its leadership group.

Khawaja expects to be available for the full Big Bash season after retiring from international and first-class cricket. This gives Brisbane a level of continuity that was often unavailable when his Australian commitments restricted him to only part of the tournament.

Who is the new Brisbane Heat coach?

James Hopes is the Brisbane Heat head coach for BBL|16. The former Heat captain signed a three-year coaching deal in June 2026 and will also lead the Queensland Bulls program.

Hopes replaces Johan Botha, who resigned after two seasons. Brisbane finished outside the finals in both seasons under Botha following their BBL|13 championship under Wade Seccombe.

Hopes was a foundation Brisbane Heat player and previously worked with the club as an assistant coach. His more recent coaching experience includes roles with Hobart Hurricanes, Tasmania and several overseas T20 teams. Brisbane Heat announced his appointment on 26 June 2026.

BBL|16 will be the third consecutive season in which Brisbane begin with a different head coach:

Which Brisbane Heat players are currently uncontracted?

The following players appeared for Brisbane Heat or were associated with the club during BBL|15 but are not on the confirmed BBL|16 primary roster.

“Uncontracted” does not necessarily mean that a player has permanently left Brisbane Heat. It means the player is not included in the current confirmed BBL|16 list. A player should only be moved into the squad after a new agreement is announced.

Has Usman Khawaja re-signed with Brisbane Heat for BBL 2026-27?

Yes. Usman Khawaja has re-signed with Brisbane Heat for BBL|16 after his previous four-year contract expired at the end of BBL|15.

The one-season agreement keeps Khawaja at the Heat through the end of BBL|16. The 39-year-old expects to play the full competition after retiring from international and first-class cricket earlier in 2026.

Khawaja has scored 2,240 runs in 73 Big Bash matches at a strike rate of 132.54. His record includes 15 scores of fifty or more and two centuries. His return strengthens a batting group that already includes Matthew Renshaw, Max Bryant, Nathan McSweeney and new overseas signing Tim Robinson.

The Heat have not confirmed whether Khawaja will remain captain.

Are Marnus Labuschagne and Shaheen Afridi in the Heat squad?

Marnus Labuschagne and Shaheen Shah Afridi are not included in Brisbane Heat’s current BBL|16 squad.

Labuschagne’s one-year contract expired after BBL|15. Shaheen was an overseas signing for the previous season, but he is also uncontracted for BBL|16. Neither player should appear in a confirmed-squad graphic or table without a new club announcement.

How many roster places do Brisbane Heat have left?

Brisbane Heat currently have 14 confirmed players and can carry up to 18 players on their primary roster. This leaves room for as many as four more signings.

Two of the club’s three possible overseas places are occupied by Tom Curran and Tim Robinson. Brisbane can therefore add no more than one additional overseas player to the primary list under the current BBL|16 rules.

The current squad also has no player listed as a specialist wicketkeeper. Jimmy Peirson and Tom Alsop are both uncontracted, making the wicketkeeping position one of the clearest areas still to be resolved.

Where does the Brisbane Heat squad look strongest?

Brisbane Heat’s main strength is fast bowling. Xavier Bartlett led the club with 15 wickets in BBL|15, while Tom Curran took 16 wickets for Melbourne Stars. Spencer Johnson, Michael Neser, Callum Vidler and Jack Wildermuth provide further pace options.

The batting group includes Matthew Renshaw, Max Bryant, Tim Robinson and Lachlan Hearne. Nathan McSweeney and Hugh Weibgen can offer additional batting depth.

The incomplete roster still has three clear questions:

• Who will keep wicket?
• Who will captain the team?
• Will Brisbane add another experienced top-order batter?

These questions should become clearer as the club moves closer to its opening match.

When do Brisbane Heat play in BBL 2026-27?

Brisbane Heat play ten regular-season matches between 15 December 2026 and 17 January 2027. Five matches are at the Gabba and five are away.

See the complete BBL 2026-27 schedule for AEDT, IST and Pakistan time conversions.

You can also download the complete BBL|16 fixture PDF.

Which Brisbane Heat matches stand out?

Australian season opener against Sydney Sixers

Brisbane Heat host Sydney Sixers at the Gabba on 15 December. It is the first BBL|16 match played in Australia, three days after Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers open the tournament in Chennai.

The game will also be James Hopes’ first match as Brisbane Heat head coach.

Boxing Day trip to the SCG

The Heat travel to the SCG to play Sydney Sixers on 26 December. It is the first of two meetings between the clubs, following their opening-round game at the Gabba.

New Year’s Day at the Gabba

Brisbane Heat host Hobart Hurricanes on 1 January 2027. The Hurricanes won BBL|14 and reached the finals again in BBL|15.

Two matches against the defending champions

Brisbane face defending champions Perth Scorchers twice in five days. The first match is at Optus Stadium on 4 January, followed by the return fixture at the Gabba on 8 January.

Final regular-season match

Brisbane Heat host Sydney Thunder on 17 January in the last match of the BBL|16 regular season. The fixture could affect the final top-four positions if the Heat remain in finals contention.

The match dates and venues were checked against the Brisbane Heat BBL|16 fixture announcement.

How did Brisbane Heat perform in BBL|15?

Brisbane Heat finished fifth in BBL|15 and missed the finals. They won five and lost five of their ten matches, collecting ten points with a net run rate of -0.431.

Brisbane remained in finals contention until the final regular-season match. Their most memorable performance was a BBL-record chase against Perth Scorchers at the Gabba.

The Heat reached 2-258 after Perth scored 257. Matthew Renshaw and Jack Wildermuth added 212 runs, the highest partnership in BBL history at the time. Both players scored centuries in the same innings.

How many Big Bash titles have Brisbane Heat won?

Brisbane Heat have won two men’s Big Bash League championships.

Their first title came in BBL|02, when they defeated Perth Scorchers in the final. Brisbane won their second championship in BBL|13 after beating Sydney Sixers at the SCG.

The Heat reached the BBL|12 final between those two championship seasons but finished as runners-up.

This section should only be changed after a new player contract, departure, replacement or leadership appointment is announced.