BBL 2021-22: Andre Russel and Qais Ahmad set to make Melbourne Stars debut against Sydney Thunder at the MCG

BBL 2021-22: Andre Russel and Qais Ahmad will make their Melbourne Stars debut in BBL11 against Sydney Thunder at the MCG on 10 December 2021. 

After losing the BBL 11 opener against Sydney Sixers, the Melbourne Stars will look to get back on track. They will now face Sydney Thunder on 10 December 2021 in their first home game of the BBL 11. The Stars have signed Andre Russel, Haris Rauf, and Ahmed Daniyal after the last game. However, the latter two of them will join the squad late.

Ahead of the game against the Sydney Thunder, the Stars have announced their 15-men squad. There are quite a few big names returning to the Stars side.

BBL 2021-22: Melbourne Stars squad to face Sydney Thunder

Despite missing the last game due to injury, Marcus Stoinis is still a part of the side. But, the big news is that Andre Russel and Qais Ahmad will be making their Stars debut. Both of them were playing their trade in the Abu Dhabi T10 League, but they are now back for the BBL. Qais has played for Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL earlier, whereas Andre Russel has represented Sydney Thunder.

Ahmad has taken 95 T20 wickets at an economy of 7.09. He recently played for Welsh Fire in the Hundred, whereas in the T20 Blast, he represented Kent. Andre Russel is a T20 monster and his records speak for himself. He has scored 6430 T20 runs, whereas he has scalped 343 wickets with the ball.

Apart from Andre Russel and Qais Ahmad, Nathan Coulter-Nile is also back in the squad. The arrival of Coulter-Nile will certainly raise the bowling stocks of the side. From the last game, Peter Nevill and Syed Faridoun have been removed from the 15-men squad.

Melbourne Stars 15-Men Squad against Sydney Thunder: Glenn Maxwell (C), Joe Clarke (WK), Marcus Stoinis, Nick Larkin, Hilton Cartwright, Andre Russel, Beau Webster, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Adam Zampa, Qais Ahmad, Sam Rainbird, Brody Couch, Sam Elliott, Clint Hinchliffe, Tom O’Connell.