Dilbar Hussain signs for Melbourne Stars

Melbourne Stars have signed another uncapped Pakistan quick Dilbar Hussain as an overseas replacement player for Haris Rauf ahead of Saturday's BBL clash with Brisbane Heat. 

Rauf left the Stars to play for Pakistan in a three-match T20I series against Bangladesh starting today in Lahore. He is expected to be back for Stars' first final on January 31 but Hussain has been signed as an overseas replacement in the interim.

Hussain's path to the BBL is as unique as Rauf's. He is also part of the Lahore Qalandars development squad after previously working on agricultural land in his village near Faisalabad. He impressed Qalandars coach Aaqib Javed in his first hard ball game in Faisalabad in 2018 and toured Australia with the Qalandars development squad in the same year.

Melbourne Stars' connection with the Qalandars comes through General Manager Nick Cummins, who was previously Cricket Tasmania's CEO. Cummins had been a key figure in firstly getting Rauf to Tasmania to play grade cricket before recommending him to the Stars' list manager Trent Woodhill and coach David Hussey and now Rauf's replacement has also come via the Qalandars development program. 

Hussain had a centre-wicket practice with former Stars player Michael Beer on Thursday in Melbourne and was added to the Stars' 13-man squad for their clash with the Heat at the MCG on Saturday. The Stars camp are excited by what he could bring as another strong fast bowler with a very deceptive change of pace.