Adam Zampa Joins Hobart Hurricanes for BBL 2026-27

Adam Zampa, the Big Bash’s most prolific spinner and Australia’s leading T20I wicket-taker, is heading south. The 34-year-old has signed with Hobart Hurricanes for BBL 2026-27, crossing from Melbourne Renegades via the league’s free-agent market in a move that instantly hardens Hobart’s bowling edge.

This will be Zampa’s fifth stop in a well-travelled Big Bash career. He has already worn the colours of Sydney Thunder, Adelaide Strikers, Melbourne Stars and the Renegades. Wherever he’s gone, the numbers have followed him: 138 wickets in 121 BBL matches at an economy rate of 7.28, a body of work that has set the standard for spin in the competition.

For the Hurricanes, who have quietly built one of the most intimidating pace batteries in the tournament, this is a statement signing. Nathan Ellis, Riley Meredith and Billy Stanlake already give Hobart pace, hostility and variety. Now they add a world-class legspinner who knows every ground, every matchup and every trick the Big Bash can throw at him.

Zampa made no attempt to hide his enthusiasm about the switch.

"I'm really excited to be joining the Hurricanes. It's a strong squad that has enjoyed plenty of success over the past couple of seasons and I'm looking forward to getting down to Hobart and being part of it," he said.

There is also a personal thread running through the move. His long-standing relationship with Ellis, the Hurricanes’ captain and attack leader, clearly helped tip the scales.

“I’ve known Nath [Ellis] for a long time and we’ve played a lot of cricket together, so the opportunity to link up with him at the Hurricanes was definitely something that appealed to me. There’s a lot of quality in the group and hopefully I can come in, play my role and help the team have another successful season.”

Inside Cricket Tasmania, the deal is being viewed as a major win in a fiercely contested market. General Manager of High Performance Salliann Beams did not downplay the scale of the capture.

"Adam was arguably the biggest name available on the market, and we're thrilled that he has chosen to join the Hurricanes.

"His record speaks for itself. He's Australia's leading T20I wicket-taker, the most successful spinner the Big Bash has seen and has performed at the highest level of the game for a long period of time.

“We already have an outstanding bowling group led by Nathan Ellis, Riley Meredith and Billy Stanlake, and adding someone with Adam's experience and skillset gives us another genuine world-class option.

“Importantly, Adam knows the Big Bash incredibly well. He understands the competition, he understands how to perform in different conditions and he has shown throughout his career that he can have an impact in the crucial moments. To be able to add a player of his quality to the group is a significant result for the Hurricanes and we're really excited to see what he can bring to the team."

For Hobart, this is not just about adding another big name. It’s about arming themselves for the pressure overs that define a season: the powerplay squeeze, the middle-overs strangle, the death-overs gamble. With Zampa alongside Ellis and company, the Hurricanes have built an attack designed not just to compete, but to decide contests.

BBL 2026-27 will reveal whether that vision holds – and whether the league’s most decorated spinner can tilt the title race towards Tasmania.