SYDNEY, CMC – Former West Indies Twenty20 International captain Carlos Brathwaite said he is looking forward to his return to defending champions Sydney Sixers for the 2020-21 season of the Big Bash League.
The Sixers announced yesterday that they were excited to have Brathwaite return to the club, for which he played three seasons ago.
Brathwaite’s signing comes less than a week after Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc confirmed he would also pull on the magenta for the season.
“I have very fond memories of Sydney,” Brathwaite said from Pakistan, where he is playing in the Pakistan Super League for Peshawar Zalmi.
“I think Sydney is easily becoming my favourite city (in Australia). I have good memories of playing at the Sydney Cricket Ground in my second Test and even better memories of playing BBL for Sixers.
“The aura of the ground and cricket in New South Wales with all the history there, is special. I remember great times dancing at the games and the times in the dressing rooms with our team. It’s a great organisation.”
Brathwaite, 32, will arrive in Australia before the start of the season and joins the English international pair of Tom Curran and James Vince as the Sixers’ three international players to now have signed for the season.
The Barbadian all-rounder played four matches for the Sixers in the 2017-18 season after being a replacement player, helping the side to a four-match win streak late in the season that put them two points shy of the semi-finals.
He thrilled Sydney fans in his cameo stint with bat, ball and his dancing moves, including “the dab” that was a massive hit with fans.
Brathwaite formed a bond with Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon and said he was looking forward in continuing to build that relationship and learn from captain Moises Henriques.
“I’m looking forward to playing with the GOAT (greatest of all time) again, Nathan Lyon,” he said.
“We had some good battles together in Tests and shared some time in the dressing room. He’s a great character and has great banter, so I really enjoy playing with him.”
He added: “Moises is another guy I am really looking forward to playing with again. I am hoping to learn more about his style of leadership.
“I really like the way he has transformed from an all-rounder to a class top-order batsman.”
Sixers head coach Greg Shipperd said the Sixers were looking forward to everything that Brathwaite brings to his cricket.
“We are excited about the prospect of being reunited with Carlos for this unique season 10 of the BBL,” Shipperd said.
“We were struggling three seasons ago and Carlos joined as a replacement player and we finished four from four and he contributed greatly to our rebalance.
“Carlos is a man who embraced our on and off-field endeavours, so we are keen to have him back in the fold and contributing his experience to our chase for consistency and another shot at a title.”
The Sixers will begin their title defence on December 10 against the Hobart Hurricanes in the first of three away fixtures in Tasmania.
