Bevon Jacobs has been confirmed as a short-term replacement for Tom Curran at Brisbane Heat for the 2026 Big Bash League season. Jacobs will step away from his Auckland commitments to take up the opportunity, with Curran set to miss the start of the season due to family commitments before joining the Heat ahead of their Boxing Day fixture on December 26, 2026.
Jacobs is listed as a replacement player in the official Brisbane Heat squad. He will feature in the Heat’s opening home game against Sydney Sixers at The Gabba on December 15, 2026, and will also be available for away matches on December 17 and December 21, 2026.
The Auckland batter’s BBL commitment means he will miss his side’s Plunket Shield opener against Northern Districts, which begins November 19, 2026 in Hamilton.
Why is Jacobs an attractive pick for Brisbane Heat?
Jacobs has built a strong reputation in franchise cricket across multiple leagues. He has represented Mumbai Indians in the IPL, MI Emirates in the ILT20, Quetta Gladiators in the PSL, Antigua and Barbuda Falcons in the CPL and Desert Vipers in the GSL. He also toured Australia with the New Zealand A team in August 2026 for the Top End T20s in Darwin, where he scored 58 off 30 balls against the Hobart Hurricanes Academy.
His domestic record in New Zealand has drawn attention as well. Jacobs scored five consecutive half-centuries in a previous Super Smash season, equalling Devon Conway’s record. He also struck a 40-ball hundred in the T20 Max competition in 2024. Queensland Cricket’s general manager of high performance, Bennett King noted his performances in that competition when explaining the signing, with a Heat representative quoted in the editor-supplied source saying:
“Bevon has been on our recruiting lists since he showed his power and skill in the KFC T20 Max a few seasons ago and it’s been exciting to see him earn his first international caps since then. He has been successful at the top of the order and as a finisher in his career so far and we’re looking forward to seeing him in action for the Heat,” King said in a statement.
Jacobs made his T20I debut on July 16, 2025 against South Africa and had accumulated 11 T20I caps as of May 2, 2026. His immediate commitment before the BBL is a five-match T20I series against India at home, beginning October 22, 2026 in Christchurch.
What is the broader New Zealand player movement picture for the 2026-27 BBL?
Jacobs is not the only New Zealand-based player whose domestic schedule has been affected by a BBL deal. Tim Robinson gave up his domestic contract at Wellington to sign a casual deal with Brisbane Heat for the entire BBL season. Robinson will miss the full Super Smash competition and one Plunket Shield fixture as a result of that arrangement.
Wellington have responded to Robinson’s departure by handing 20-year-old seamer Ryan Tsourgas a full-time contract for the 2026-27 season. Tsourgas represented New Zealand at the 2024 Under-19 World Cup and will now have the opportunity to fill a regular role in the Wellington setup.
