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Australian pacer Ben Dwarshuis is stepping in for the injured Mustafizur Rahman in the Birmingham Phoenix squad for The Hundred 2026. The Birmingham team is set to kick off their season with a match against the Trent Rockets on Friday, July 24, right at their home ground. 

Unfortunately, Rahman will be sidelined for at least four weeks due to a grade 1 muscle tear in his knee. He was all set to make history as the first Bangladeshi cricketer to play in The Hundred after being signed by the Phoenix for a hefty GBP 100,000. 

On the flip side, Dwarshuis is making a return to the franchise where he previously played one match back in 2022. The 32-year-old recently showcased his skills with the Washington Freedom in Major League Cricket, where he bagged 16 wickets across eight matches. 

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Not just a bowler, Dwarshuis is also a solid lower-order batter, boasting an impressive strike rate of 202.70 in the six innings he played in the recent tournament, making him a valuable asset in a format that only allows 100 balls per innings. 

His last appearance in The Hundred was in 2024, where he represented the Northern Superchargers (now known as Sunrisers Leeds) in two matches, taking four wickets. He’s now just three matches away from hitting the 200 mark in the shortest format of the game. 

Dwarshuis joins a squad filled with international talent, including Donovan Ferreira, Mitchell Owen, and Usman Tariq. Ferreira has been named captain after Jacob Bethell was also ruled out due to a knee injury. The Phoenix have brought in Hampshire batter Joe Weatherley as a replacement for Bethell, following his impressive performance in the 2026 T20 Blast.