Melbourne Renegades sign Imran Tahir and Noor Ahmad for Big Bash

The pair will share duties, with South African veteran leg-spinner Tahir joining the team after Christmas and Afghanistan 15-year-old Ahmad filling his void during the opening weeks of the competition

Melbourne Renegades have signed overseas spinners Imran Tahir and Noor Ahmad as they ramp up preparations for their Big Bash campaign.

The pair will share duties, with South African veteran leg-spinner Tahir joining the team after Christmas and Afghanistan 15-year-old Ahmad filling his void during the opening weeks of the competition.

Ahmad is a left-arm wrist-spinner and will join compatriot Mohammad Nabi, who has already signed up to continue his relationship with Aaron Finch’s Renegades.

He came to the fore during this year’s Under-19 World Cup, during which he took seven wickets and was also involved in controversy after running out Pakistan batsman Mohammad Huraira at the non-striker’s end.

He is the second Afghan left-arm wrist spinner to play in the tournament after Zahir Khan, who has represented Brisbane Heat in the past.

Renegades head coach Michael Klinger said: “Imran Tahir has excelled in the T20 format right across the world and he’ll provide another genuine wicket-taking threat.

“We’ve been tracking Noor Ahmad closely for more than a year now and although he’s in the early stages of his career, he’s an exciting prospect and he has a few tricks that’ll make life difficult for batsmen.”

^{Nabi was re-signed for Melbourne Renegades}

Tahir has been taking part in the Indian Premier League with Chennai Super Kings but has found himself on the fringes of MS Dhoni’s side. Remarkably, given his prominence on the T20 franchise circuit for many years, this marks his first stint in the Big Bash.

“I’ve watched the Big Bash from afar have admired how competitive it is,” Tahir said. “I’m looking forward to joining my new Renegades teammates and working hard with them to produce a successful season.”

On Ahmad, Nabi added: “The Renegades fans and followers of the Big Bash may not know much about Noor at this stage but I can tell you, he is a very exciting talent who I feel has a big future in the game.”

Renegades still have the capacity to make a further overseas signing after a change to Big Bash regulations, which means that teams can field three overseas players at a time.