Photo: Collected
Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf will be seen in Adelaide Strikers colours in the upcoming edition of the Big Bash League (BBL). Like Ben Stokes and Mark Chapman, he will also stay with the team for the whole season as an overseas cricketer.
In a club statement, Strikers coach Tim Paine described Haris as a proven match-winner. In Paine’s words, the pacer has shown his worth at the highest level in international cricket and in franchise tournaments around the world. The coach believes watching him bowl at the Adelaide Oval will be a great treat for Strikers supporters. In his view, Haris, one of the fastest bowlers in world cricket, can turn a game at any moment.
Paine also said they are delighted to have Haris in Adelaide for the entire tournament. This exciting cricketer with a fighting spirit will add a lot of energy to the team. Their main effort throughout the off-season had been to secure all the overseas players for the whole tournament. They believe this will become a big advantage for the team.
Rauf has played five BBL seasons for Melbourne Stars since the 2019-20 season. In Stars colours he has taken 56 wickets in 33 matches. Last season he was the tournament’s highest wicket-taker with 20 wickets in 11 innings.
After the new deal, Rauf said he is eagerly looking forward to starting his journey with the Strikers. Describing the Adelaide Oval as one of the best cricket venues in the world, he said he has always enjoyed playing there. The pacer also expressed his excitement at the chance to play in the same team as world-class players such as Ben Stokes, Matt Short and Mark Chapman.
Rauf has so far played one ODI and one T20 International at the Adelaide Oval, the Strikers’ home ground. In the ODI he took 5 wickets for 29 runs against Australia, helping Pakistan to a big nine-wicket win. In the T20 he took 1 wicket for 21 runs against Bangladesh; his team won that match by five wickets.
The Strikers have won the BBL title only once so far, in the 2017-18 season. Finishing sixth in the last edition, the team failed to reach the playoffs. The new season will begin in December; the Strikers will play their first match against Sydney Thunder in Canberra on 16 December.
Background
According to a 1 September report by Reuters, Adelaide Strikers signed former England captain Ben Stokes, who retired from international cricket in June, for the 16th edition of the BBL.
According to a 16 September report by CricTracker, on 15 September the Strikers announced the signing of left-handed batter Mark Chapman for the full season. Chapman recently gave up his New Zealand central contract.
Citing a Herald Sun report, ARY News reported on 8 October that the Strikers were set to sign Haris Rauf, who spent five seasons with Melbourne Stars.
Sources
Original report: Bangladesh Pratidin
Background sources: Reuters (The Star, Malaysia), 1 September 2026; CricTracker, 16 September 2026; ARY News, 8 October 2026
