Former New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum expressed excitement to play alongside young Pakistan spinner Shadab Khan for the Brisbane Heat in the upcoming edition of the BBL.
The Kiwi has already played alongside the Pakistan man in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) earlier this year.
The rising teen sensation from Pakistan is set to make his debut for the Heat on Wednesday’s tournament opener against the Melbourne Stars at the Gabba.
McCullum was speaking to the press after signing a two-year contract extension with the Brisbane based team.
“I’m very excited about Shadab. I played with him (in the CPL) and followed his career around the globe.
‘‘He’s only a young man but he’s already made a big impact on world cricket. He is a multi-skilled cricketer. He is dynamic in the field and has been brilliant with the bat in hand.
“I’m sure the Brisbane public will warm to him,” the former Blackcaps man said.
McCullum will lead the Brisbane Heat in the BBL.
The 19-year-old for his part was delighted to be a part of the Australian T20 competition for the coming season and recognized the fact that he will not get much assistance in the pitches on offer.
“Last year I saw the Big Bash on the TV and now I’m playing,” he said.
“I’ll play the first three games and I want to be the best bowler in those games. I’ve seen on TV that Australia doesn’t spin too much so I’ll do my best to bowl variations to contain runs and take wickets,” he added.
The leg-spinner has risen to prominence this year after his introduction at the international stage with some promising displays in limited-overs cricket. He was an integral part of the ICC Champions Trophy winning Pakistan side earlier this summer.
