Italy all-rounder Ben Manenti has signed a two-year contract with the Melbourne Renegades ahead of Big Bash League (BBL) Season 16, the club confirmed on 9 October 2026. The 29-year-old off-spinning all-rounder arrives on the back of a standout international and domestic campaign that has firmly established him as one of Associate cricket's most compelling talents.

A Breakout Year That Earned the Contract

Manenti was Italy's standout performer at the Men's T20 World Cup in February, finishing as the team's highest run-scorer with 138 runs across three innings and their second-highest wicket-taker with five scalps. A highlight of the campaign was a blistering 25-ball 60 against England at Eden Gardens, Kolkata — an innings that included six sixes and four fours.

He also contributed a 29-ball half-century against Scotland and a match-winning spell of 2 for 9 in Italy's historic victory over Nepal — the nation's maiden T20 World Cup win. That tournament form was no flash in the pan: Manenti subsequently played for the Rotterdam Dockers in the inaugural European T20 Premier League before returning to Australian domestic cricket.

Sheffield Shield Century Seals the Deal

Manenti's red-ball credentials also received a timely boost. Stepping up as stand-in captain for South Australia in their Sheffield Shield opener against Victoria, he struck a commanding 112-ball century, eventually making 128 and helping his side post over 500 in the first innings. The knock underlined that his abilities extend well beyond the T20 format.

Manenti has previously had brief BBL stints with the Sydney Sixers and the Adelaide Strikers, giving him an understanding of the competition's pace and demands that should allow him to settle quickly at the Renegades.

What the Renegades Head Coach Said

Newly appointed Renegades head coach Luke Ronchi was effusive about the signing. “He’s coming off an outstanding period of cricket, and he’s a highly competitive player who offers genuine flexibility with both bat and ball, and just as importantly, he’s the type of character we want in our environment,” Ronchi said.

Notably, Adam Zampa's departure to the Hobart Hurricanes in the off-season leaves a meaningful vacancy in the Renegades' spin department — a gap Manenti's off-break bowling is well-placed to fill.

Squad Context and BBL Season 16 Opener

Manenti joins a spin group that already includes re-signed left-arm spinner Callum Stow, leg-spinner Michael Archer, and New Zealand off-spinning all-rounder Michael Bracewell. The Renegades' broader roster features Jason Behrendorff, Josh Brown, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Ollie Peake, and Will Sutherland, with England wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow further strengthening the batting lineup.

The Renegades will open BBL Season 16 against defending champions Perth Scorchers at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on 12 December — a fixture that hands the Italian-born all-rounder a marquee stage to announce himself in the red kit from the very first game.