Having endured a disappointing campaign last year with a seventh-place finish, the Brisbane Heat will be looking to rectify that this time around.
In Chris Lynn and Brendon McCullum - nicknamed the ‘Bash Brothers’ thanks to their monstrous hitting with bat in hand - they possess two of the most feared ball-strikers in T20 cricket, both of whom are capable of single-handedly taking down any bowling attack on their day.
What you need to know
Ground - The Gabba
Captain - Chris Lynn
Coach - Daniel Vettori
Overseas Players - Brendon McCullum (NZ), Mujeeb Ur Rahman (AFG)
Who to look out for
Gun Bat - Chris Lynn
Feared by bowlers across the globe, Lynn has made a name for himself as one of the most destructive batsmen in the modern white-ball game thanks to an average of 32.45 at a colossal strike rate of 144.13 runs per 100 balls faced. His exploits with the Heat have seen him snapped up by franchises in various global competitions, and if he gets into his stride there is arguably no batsman more feared in the current game.
Mr Reliable - Mitchell Swepson
Tipped by legendary bowler Shane Warne to make a real impact this year, leg-spinner Swepson has become a key component in the Heat’s bowling armoury since his debut in BBL 05. At 25-years-old he looks to be coming into his peak, and having already debuted for his country in the shortest form of the game his ability has clearly been noted by the Australian hierarchy.
Overseas Import - Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Following in the footsteps of fellow Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan in taking the cricketing world by storm, 17-year-old Rahman became the first male born this century to represent his country in the highest level last December. After being purchased by Kings XI Punjab for £450,000 for this year’s Indian Premier League the slow bowler has seen his stock rise exponentially - and this is another chance to show the world what he can do.
Young Starlet - Brendan Doggett
Having burst onto the Big Bash scene last year, paceman Doggett could be one of the dark horses of the competition this time around. Combining towering height with an ability to send the ball down in excess of 85 mph he is sure to trouble batsmen, as highlighted by the 5-35 he took against eventual tournament victors the Perth Scorchers in only his fourth match. The 24-year-old will surely be helped by a fast and bouncy Gabba wicket; if he can take advantage, he will likely cause problems for even the best batsmen.