BIG BASH: Rashid Khan set to be top draw in 7th season; unlikely to boycott draft

THE LURE OF A seventh season in the Big Bash League looks to have proved irresistible for Rashid Khan, with the Afghan spin whiz to be unveiled as one of the most high-profile nominations for this year's draft.

Rashid, the world's top-ranked T20 international bowler, appears to have cooled his stance since threatening in January that he was "strongly considering" not returning to the KFC BBL in protest over Cricket Australia cancelling a scheduled ODI series against Afghanistan, an article by Dave Middleton on Cricket Australia website cricket.com.au said.

Rashid has played every season with the Adelaide Strikers since bursting onto the scene as a 19-year-old to be the leading wicket-taker in BBL7 and was picked second in last year's inaugural BBL draft, with Strikers using their retention rights to hold onto him after an attempted poach from the Melbourne Stars.

The Strikers have pick two in this year's BBL Draft, to be held on September 3, and are again expected to take the Afghan leg-spinner, who is set to be available up until his departure for a T20 league in South Africa.

That tournament, where Rashid plays for the Mumbai Indians-owned Cape Town franchise, starts on January 10, meaning if he is retained by the Strikers, Rashid could play up to eight games.

CA decided to withdraw its men's team from a scheduled three-match series in the UAE in March, citing the Taliban's ban on women and girls' education and employment in Afghanistan. CA stated the decision to opt out of the tour was made in consultation with the Australian government, but that players from the nation were welcome in the BBL.

Rashid, who had already finished his BBL stint when the ODI series was cancelled, lead an angry reaction from Afghanistan officials and players, with the spinner taking to social media to voice his protest, the article said.

"I am really disappointed to hear that Australia have pulled out of the series to play us in March," Afghanistan T20 captain Rashid said in his statement at the time.

"I take great pride in representing my country, and we have made great progress on the world stage. If playing vs Afghanistan is so uncomfortable for Australia, then I wouldn't want to make anyone uncomfortable with my presence in the BBL. Therefore, I will be strongly considering my future in that competition."

While Rashid is the most high-profile Afghan star, he is not the first from the country to have committed to the BBL this season – Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Izharulhaq Naveed have already been publicly announced as nominations for this year's draft, as has Shafiqullah Ghafari, the article added.