Rishad to reunite with Domingo

Bangladesh leg-spinner Rishad Hossain is all set to be drafted as a direct signing player by the most successful team in SA20 history, the reigning champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape, sources within the franchise have confirmed.

Next year's SA20 season is scheduled to begin on 9 January and conclude on 4 February, 2027.

If he were to participate there, Rishad might have to miss the Bangladesh Premier League yet again — having already skipped the last edition while representing Hobart Hurricanes in Australia's Big Bash League.

Perhaps the most sentimental aspect of the move is Rishad's reunion with former Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo, who currently serves as batting coach at Sunrisers Eastern Cape.

The two share a close bond forged during Domingo's tenure with the Bangladesh national side.

When asked about the prospect of working with Rishad again, Domingo confirmed the news. "Yes, seems like it," Domingo told Daily Sun via WhatsApp.

Rishad will also make history as the first Bangladeshi player to feature in the SA20 league.

This will mark the 23-year-old's third foreign franchise assignment.

In last year's Big Bash League, representing Hobart Hurricanes, Rishad was outstanding, claiming 15 wickets from 11 innings to finish as the joint-leading wicket-taker among spinners in the tournament. 

Prior to that, he enjoyed an equally impressive Pakistan Super League campaign with Lahore Qalandars, taking 12 wickets in eight innings.

With his stock rising rapidly on the global T20 circuit, the Sunrisers move looks set to be Rishad's most high-profile franchise stint yet.