Cricket Australia implements multi-year contracts for overseas players in BBL and WBBL to prevent player departures, with commitments for entire tournaments starting from the next season.

Clubs can sign one player outside drafts but must still select two more. Pre-draft signings cannot be retained by former clubs, potentially leading to player poaching scenarios like Rashid Khan’s.

Under the new contracting rules, if another club signs Rashid Khan, the Strikers would lose their rights to him at the draft. However, if Rashid or another eligible player isn’t signed before the draft, they can be retained under the previous regulations.

The new multi-year contracts allow negotiations at any price, potentially enabling players in the BBL to surpass the current overseas draft platinum contract of AUD$420,000. However, clubs must still ensure all 18 squad members fit within the AUD$3 million salary cap.

In the WBBL, the platinum level stands at AUD$110,000. Overseas players can restrict their availability for the upcoming season due to existing contracts with other leagues.

However, for the subsequent W/BBL seasons starting in 2025-26, any player signing a deal outside of the draft must commit to playing the entire season, including the finals.

“We are excited to introduce this new contracting mechanism for the upcoming WBBL and BBL seasons,” BBL general manager Alistair Dobson said.

“We have worked closely with clubs and the ACA to continue developing and enhancing the Big Bash, and a key focus has been ensuring the best players continue to compete in the Big Bash, and for longer periods.”

“The opportunity for international players to ink multi-year deals with teams not only strengthens the League’s global appeal but also provides clubs with greater stability and strategic planning capabilities.”

The BBL contract registration period has started

CA announced a new contracting system as the BBL’s contracting window opened. Clubs can now trade and sign players, with a limit of 10 player retentions per season to encourage movement.

Additionally, Australia’s Test players are expected to participate in a short window towards the end of the BBL season, likely starting after the Adelaide Test and running until approximately January 26.

In another new feature, clubs can now sign any player with a CA contract during the initial retention week, regardless of whether they have previously represented the team. Australia’s Test players will conclude their five-Test series against India by January 7, but the two-Test tour of Sri Lanka is set to commence around January 31.

Players participating in the Sri Lanka tour are expected to be available for the BBL only until approximately January 20, resulting in them playing only a few matches and missing the finals if they make themselves available.

The WBBL schedule is pending, with a potential reduction to a 10-game season like the BBL. This season’s WBBL has a limited window, from late October after the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh to December 5, coinciding with the start of a three-match women’s ODI series between Australia and India.