Top 5 biggest controversies in BBL history ft. Chris Gayle

Several controversies made headlines in the BBL over the years.

The Big Bash League (BBL) is one of the most entertaining franchise T20 leagues, held annually in Australia. The first edition of this tournament was held in 2011, in which the Sydney Sixers defeated the Perth Scorchers in the final to win the title.

BBL tournaments, which are usually conducted in the December-January window every year, have thrilled fans with nail-biting clashes over the years.

While batters send the crowd into frenzy with long sixes at high-scoring Australian grounds, pacers dominate the field with their swing at seam-friendly flat pitches.

Over the past few years, BBL games have produced many exciting moments, but some controversies have also grabbed significant headlines. On that note, below are the top five biggest controversies in BBL history.

5. Melbourne Renegades Batting Collapse (BBL 2015)

In the BBL 2014-15 season, Melbourne Renegades suffered a huge batting collapse in a clash against Melbourne Stars. Chasing 170 runs for victory, the Renegades were bowled out for just 57 runs in the second innings, which was the lowest total in the tournament’s history.

In the aftermath of the match, the pitch was criticised by many for being dangerous and unfit for batting. Many deliveries remained low while many others bounced heavily.

Moreover, many questions were raised on Cricket Australia (CA) regarding the safety of players and the preparation of a fair pitch. Later, strict rules were introduced to monitor pitches in the BBL.

4. Sydney Thunder All-Out for 15 (BBL 2022-23)

Similarly, the Sydney Thunder suffered a humiliating defeat in the 2022-23 edition, when they were bowled out for just 15 runs in a match against Adelaide Strikers. Against a target of 140 runs, Thunder lost their batters like a house of cards, with all of them losing their wickets for single digits.

This incident shocked both the spectators inside the stadium and those watching on their TV screens. The pitch was labelled unplayable and received a poor rating from the International Cricket Council (ICC).

3. Chris Gayle’s inappropriate conduct with an Australian journalist (BBL 2016)

Former West Indies batting legend Chris Gayle was caught in a controversy in the Big Bash League 2016 for his inappropriate conversation with an Australian journalist.

During a live interview with reporter Mel McLaughlin, Gayle flirted with her and asked her out for a date. As she felt awkward over his comments, the left-handed batsman said, “Don’t blush, baby”.

His comments created a widespread controversy in the media and were perceived as sexist and misogynistic. The West Indies legend was also fined $10,000 for his act.

The BBL organisers tweaked their code of conduct for players and updated rules for media broadcasting following the incident.

2. DRS failure in BBL 2018-19

The Big Bash League was short of a Decision Review System (DRS) in the 2018-19 season. Hence, it led to many umpiring errors during the tournament, with fans criticising the lack of technology. In a clash between Hobart Hurricanes and Melbourne Stars, D’Arcy Short played a wonderful 96-run knock to drive the former to victory.

At 96 runs, he played a unique shot that went between his legs towards the boundary. However, umpires failed to detect it properly and gave it as a leg bye. Later, replays revealed that the ball hit Arcy’s bat.

Hence, due to the umpire’s fault, the Australian batter was denied his century. This sparked outrage over umpiring standards in the tournament.

1. Shaheen Afridi banned from bowling on BBL debut (BBL 2025-26)

Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi made his debut for Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League 2025-26 edition. While bowling the 18th over against the opposition Melbourne Renegades, Afridi bowled two waist-high full tosses to Tim Seifert and Ollie Peake.

As a result, umpires halted him from bowling and removed him from the attack for dangerous bowling. Therefore, Afridi’s much-awaited debut in the tournament turned into a moment of surprise for him as well as his fans.

According to the rules, if a bowler bowls two waist-height full tosses in a single over, he is restricted from bowling further in the match. This rule has been created for the safety of the batsmen.

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