Rehan Ahmed joins Birmingham Phoenix from Trent Rockets as he confirms the move ahead of Hundred’s new era.
Birmingham Phoenix’s first direct acquisition for the 2026 Hundred season is Rehan Ahmed.
The 21-year-old English all-rounder Rehan leaves the 2025 runners-up Trent Rockets, where he scored over 180 runs and took 12 wickets.
Earlier this month, the Phoenix expressed interest in Rehan. Additionally, they are in advanced negotiations to keep South African finisher Donovan Ferreira and Jacob Bethell on a lucrative contract.
In addition to helping Leicestershire win the County Championship Division Two title with 23 wickets at 19 and an average of 50.67 with the bat, including five hundreds, Rehan’s legspin variations and gutsy batting style have had an influence across formats.
Rehan is the first player signed by Phoenix performance director James Thomas and new men’s head coach Shane Bond ahead of the season, and next year’s Hundred will usher in a new era under private ownership. Before the auction, which is scheduled for March, teams are permitted to directly sign or hold onto up to four players. Rehan is the first player signed during that timeframe.
“The vision and strategy set out by James and Bondy was something that I really wanted to be a part of so I’m happy to have signed for the Birmingham Phoenix,” Rehan said. “It’s an ambitious franchise with big plans and Edgbaston is obviously an amazing place to play cricket, so I’m really looking forward to getting started next year and hopefully being part of a squad which will challenge for silverware in The Hundred.”
Thomas said Rehan was “one of the players we identified very early on as somebody who aligns perfectly with our strategy”.
“He is one of the most highly rated players in the country and has the ability to make a huge impact with both bat and ball,” Thomas added. “Although he is still in the early stages of his career, there is no doubt about his ability and we are confident he will be a key player for the Birmingham Phoenix next season.”