As the excitement of the T20 season builds, all eyes turn to the highly anticipated WBBL and BBL Draft for the 2025–26 season, scheduled to take place on June 19. This year’s drafts promise to be more competitive and strategic than ever before, with a deep pool of over 600 international stars from across the globe entering their names. The drafts will shape the future of Australia’s premier T20 leagues and set the tone for what’s expected to be a thrilling summer of cricket.
The WBBL draft will begin at 4 PM AEST, followed immediately by the BBL draft. These drafts will feature a four-round format with clubs selecting overseas players across Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze categories. For the first time in the history of the Big Bash leagues, teams have also been allowed to pre-sign one overseas player ahead of the draft. These players must be slotted into their respective salary brackets—Platinum, Gold, or Silver—based on the contract value.
The Platinum bracket remains the most lucrative and competitive. In the BBL, players in this tier can earn up to AUD 420,000 depending on their availability. WBBL Platinum players will command a maximum of AUD 110,000. Clubs are required to draft at least two overseas players, with the option to pick up to four including one as a replacement. With so many big names on the board, team managements are expected to make tough calls based on both player quality and availability.
Some of the biggest names in international cricket are part of this year’s draft. For the BBL, stars like Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sam Curran, Kane Williamson, Mohammad Rizwan, and Jofra Archer headline a power-packed list. The WBBL draft also features prominent names, including Jemimah Rodrigues, Deandra Dottin, and Shikha Pandey. England legend James Anderson, who retired from Test cricket in June 2025, has also thrown his hat into the ring, becoming the oldest player to nominate for the BBL.
A notable entry from India is Siddharth Kaul, a seasoned domestic pacer who brings experience and pace variation to the BBL table. He is the only Indian male cricketer to enter this year’s BBL draft, potentially opening the door for future Indian representation in global T20 leagues.
Retention BBL picks are also a key part of the draft strategy. Each club is permitted one retention pick to hold on to a player who featured for them in the previous season. These players can only be retained if another club attempts to draft them in the same round. This rule adds a layer of tactical depth, as teams must balance retaining talent while also scouting for new firepower.
The draft order was determined by a weighted BBL lottery, with underperforming teams from the previous season receiving earlier picks. The Sydney Sixers and Brisbane Heat, for example, will have the first selections in the WBBL and BBL drafts respectively, giving them a chance to reset and rebuild after disappointing campaigns.
For fans, the draft will offer a live spectacle of decisions that could make or break team fortunes. With streaming coverage on Seven Network, Fox Cricket, and other digital platforms, the draft is expected to draw high viewership as supporters eagerly watch their teams assemble potential title-winning BBL squads.