Daily Times

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday issued No Objection Certificates (NOC) to players for participation in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). 10 Pakistan cricketers will be seen in action during the sixth edition of the CPL – a tournament which is scheduled to take place from August 8 till September 16. Six teams will be featuring in the event out of which five comprises of Pakistan players. Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Jamaica Tallawahs, St. Lucia Stars and Trinbago Knight Riders have at least one Pakistan cricketer in their ranks. The only side to not have any Pakistan player is St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.

Pacers Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan and Muhammad Irfan will be representing Barbados Tridents whereas veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik and Sohail Tanvir will be playing for Guyana Amazon Warriors. Karachi Kings’ duo of Shahid Afridi and Imad Wasim will wear Jamaica Tallawahs colours while Islamabad United’s trio of Muhammad Sami, Rumman Raees, and Hussain Talat will be playing for St. Lucia Stars. Young leg-spinner Shadab Khan will be the solitary Pakistan cricketer to play for Trinbago Knight Riders. In the last season, Tanvir finished up as the highest wicket-taker of the season by bagging 17 scalps in 12 matches.

Meanwhile, former opening batsman Imran Nazir has said that Pakistan players participation in the CPL will improve the stature of the event. Nazir last played an international match for Pakistan in 2012. “Pakistan is the top T20I team right now and has been performing brilliantly in the recent matches,” said Nazir. “This makes Pakistani players the most watched players in the league.” Nazir was also hopeful that fast bowlers Raees and Tanvir would put a good show during the event. “Raees, who has been doing well in T20 format, has recovered from his injury and I expect him to do well in this edition,” he said. “Tanvir is a seasoned campaigner now and I expect him to produce the goods once again.” Speaking about leg-spinner Shadab, Nazir said: “He is a very good T20 spinner and I am sure is he will put in a good display.” Among all the Pakistan players signed for the upcoming edition of the CPL, Tanvir is the highest paid followed by Malik and Afridi. The opening match of the tournament will take place between defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders and St. Lucia Stars at Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago.

Published in Daily Times, August 2^nd 2018.