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Bangladesh leg-spinner Rishad Hossain has secured his place at Hobart Hurricanes for another season after the Australian franchise retained him following an impressive debut campaign in the Big Bash League (BBL).
Hobart confirmed the one-year deal on its website on Thursday, rewarding Rishad after he finished as the team’s leading wicket-taker last season.
However, the Bangladesh spinner may not be available for the entire upcoming season because of potential clashes with Bangladesh’s international commitments.
Rishad made an immediate impact in his first BBL campaign, taking 15 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 20.86. His economy rate was 7.82, while his best bowling figures were three for 26.
His performances also earned him Hobart’s BBL Player of the Year award at the end of the season.
Hobart’s general manager of high performance, Salliann Beams, said Rishad’s desire to return had played an important role in the decision to retain him.
“Rishad made it very clear to us that he had a great time in Hobart last season and wanted to return. That meant a lot to us,” Beams said.
She noted that the team’s structure had changed somewhat following the addition of leg-spinner Adam Zampa. However, the franchise wanted to explore every possibility of bringing back a quality player who was so keen to rejoin the Hurricanes.
Praising Rishad’s debut campaign, Beams said his participation in every match and his position as the team’s leading wicket-taker demonstrated his ability and his capacity to adapt quickly to Australian conditions.
The next BBL season is scheduled to begin on December 12.
With Rishad and Zampa both in the squad, Beams said the Hurricanes would have greater flexibility in tailoring their bowling attack to different conditions and match situations.
“We now have two high-quality leg-spinners with different strengths, giving us some exciting options depending on the conditions and the situation,” she said.
Beams added that Rishad had proved particularly dangerous in the middle overs last summer, and having both spinners available would provide the team with greater tactical flexibility and add another dimension to its bowling attack.
Hobart Hurricanes squad: Marcus Bean, Ian Carlisle, Nikhil Chaudhary, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Rishad Hossain, Nick Hobson, Shai Hope, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Mitch Owen, Will Prestwidge, Billy Stanlake, Tim Ward, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster and Adam Zampa.