Chris Lynn's selection in the Prime Minister's XI will help give the struggling game legitimacy again as players look to use the fixture as a springboard to break into the Australian team.
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The batsman was overlooked for Australia's 14-man squad to face Sri Lanka and Pakistan in an upcoming Twenty20 series, but will instead pepper Manuka Oval with sixes on October 24.
Lynn will join co-captains Peter Siddle and Dan Christian in the Prime Minister's XI for the Twenty20 clash with Sri Lanka later this month.
His place in the team shows national selectors will use the game to test fringe players as Cricket Australia prepare to host the Twenty20 World Cup next year.
Lynn hasn't played a competitive fixture since the Global T20 tournament in Canada last August, but will have a chance to prove himself to Australian selectors under lights at Manuka Oval.
National selector Trevor Horns hasn't spoken to the 29-year-old batsman about his omission from Australia's upcoming white-ball series, but could reconsider Lynn's position if he performs well during the Big Bash.
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"We haven't considered him at the moment. He isn't playing any cricket, locally or within Australia," Hohns said.
"Sure, he's been travelling the world playing T20 cricket. If he performs very well in upcoming the Big Bash then of course we can revisit that.
"I haven't spoken to Chris at all. To be honest, I don't even know if he's in the country."
Lynn shapes as a major draw-card for the Prime Minister's XI after the annual clash drew a record low crowd of 1824 fans last year.
Officials are desperate to lure fans back to Manuka Oval for what was once considered Canberra's showpiece event.
Cricket ACT boss James Allsopp is confident the high-profile batsman will bring an extra-layer of entertainment, which could help reinvigorate the Prime Minister's XI.
"Chris Lynn is arguably the best T20 batsman in Australia," Allsopp said.
"He optimises entertainment and brings X-factor. People want to come to Twenty20 games and see balls hit out of the park - there's no better exponent than Chris Lynn in world cricket."
The Brisbane Heat skipper boasts a career record of 4,425 runs in the Twenty20 format, with a strike rate of 141.96.
He'll be joined by local talent Djali Bloomfield in the Prime Minister's XI, while Daniel Fallins, Fawad Ahmed and Jason Sangha have also been named.
Sydney Thunder batsman Sangha will join Lynn in the top-order as he pushes his case for higher honours after a breakthrough season in the Big Bash League.
"The Prime Minister's fixture has provided young players, who are hopefully going go on and play for Australia, an opportunity," Allsopp said.
"It exposes these young players while blending them in with a mixture of experience - Peter [Siddle] and Daniel [Christian] bring that.
"Ahmed [Fawad] has had a decorated national career playing with the Sydney Thunder and is going to the Perth Scorchers. He's an experienced leg-spin bowler who's thrived with the white-ball.
"Fallins is another young leg-spinner for NSW who's been playing in the Marsh Cup and with the Sydney Sixers. He gives the ball a big rip, so we're excited about his prospects."
Cricket ACT will announce the remaining players plus the coach for the Prime Minister's XI next week, while Siddle and Christian are expected to visit the capital.
The Prime Minister's XI fixture will launch a packed summer of short-format cricket in Canberra boasting nine Twenty20 internationals rounded out by the women's short-format World Cup in February.
PRIME MINISTER'S XI
Thursday, October 24: Twenty20 tour match - Prime Minister's XI v Sri Lanka at Manuka Oval, 7.10pm. Tickets from Ticketek.
Curtain-raiser - ACT XI v Newcastle XI at Manuka Oval, 2.30pm.