Pakistan’s wicketkeeper batsman Azam Khan has become the first Pakistani player to be signed for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) T20 League. Lancer Capital owned team Desert Vipers has become the only team so far to have announced the acquisition of a Pakistani player. The UAE’s International T20 League (ILT20) will start next year.
Pakistan’s Azam Khan is the first Pakistani player to be awarded a contract in the ILT20, which has five other franchises, all owned by Indian business and IPL franchises. No Pakistan player has been included in those teams so far.
Azam (24), son of former Pakistan wicketkeeper Moin Khan, has played three T20 Internationals. In addition he has represented Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and he has also played for the Galle Gladiators in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) and Barbados Royals in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
Given his experience in franchise cricket, Lancer Capital has roped in Azam Khan bring that experience with him.
Posting on their social media, the franchise wrote that Pakistan keeper batsman Azam Khan is an exciting addition to the Desert Vipers. They added that he is one of the best players in the world against spin in T20 cricket with an average of 35 and a strike rate of 160 against the spin bowlers. Azam is ideally suited to attack the middle overs for the Desert Vipers.
Other than that, the Desert Vipers have got the services of England’s Alex Hales, Sam Billings, Saqib Mahmood, Benny Howell, Ben Duckett and Tom Curran. Sri Lanka’s star spin bowler Wanindu Hasaranga will also be a part of the team.
Desert Vipers full squad
Sam Billings (England), Sheldon Cottrell (West Indies), Tom Curran (England), Ben Duckett (Eng), Saqib Mahmood (Eng), Alex Hales (Eng), Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka), Benny Howell (England), Azam Khan (Pakistan), Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal), Ruben Trumplemann (Namibia), Sherfane Rutherford (West Indies), Colin Munro (New Zealand)