Sydney Thunder Sign Trent Boult for Full BBL 2026-27 Season

Sydney Thunder have secured New Zealand fast bowler Trent Boult for the entirety of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2026-27 season, including the playoffs, on a one-year contract.

Boult’s commitment to the full tournament could create a scheduling conflict in January if Thunder qualify for the finals, as his SA20 franchise, MI Cape Town (MICT), are also due to begin their campaign in South Africa during the same period.

The BBL is scheduled to conclude on January 26, while the SA20 begins on January 17, with MICT opening their campaign on January 20. If Thunder reach the finals, Boult could face an overlap between the two competitions. He may be able to join MICT on time only if Sydney are eliminated before the playoffs and he travels to South Africa immediately after their final league-stage match on January 17.

The left-arm quick has previously featured in the BBL for Melbourne Stars during the 2022-23 season. At Sydney Thunder, he will reunite with fellow New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson, forming a potentially effective new-ball partnership.

"I'm really excited to be playing in the Big Bash again and joining Lockie at Thunder," Boult said in a statement released by the franchise. He added that he hoped to make a strong impact on the team and its supporters while continuing to enjoy taking wickets and bowling aggressively in the powerplay.

Thunder head coach Andrew Flintoff welcomed the signing, praising Boult’s reputation, team spirit and world-class ability. Flintoff also highlighted the advantage of having two experienced New Zealand bowlers working together, with Ferguson’s right-arm pace complementing Boult’s left-arm bowling.

Sydney Thunder appointed Flintoff as head coach in June, following Trevor Bayliss’ departure after the team finished last in the 2023-24 and 2025-26 seasons. The franchise will begin its BBL 2026-27 campaign against Adelaide Strikers in Canberra on December 16.

Boult most recently played in the inaugural European T20 Premier League (ETPL), where he claimed 16 wickets at an economy rate of 6.63 for champions Edinburgh Castle Rockers. His performance included career-best figures of 5 for 24 against Glasgow Cosmic.

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