Islamabad United make one addition to squad ahead of PSL 11

KARACHI: Three-time champions Islamabad United on Friday announced one addition to their squad ahead of the historic 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), scheduled to run from March 26 to May 3.

The announcement was made by the franchise on their official social media handles, confirming the signing of top-order batter Mohammad Faiq.

Faiq possesses solid experience in the domestic T20 format, having scored 443 runs in 12 matches at an impressive average of 63.28 and a strike-rate of 189.31, including two half-centuries and two centuries.

The right-handed batter was previously part of Islamabad United’s squad but did not feature in any matches. He is now set to make his debut in the upcoming edition of the tournament.

Meanwhile, the franchise had strengthened their squad during the highly anticipated player auction held at the Expo Centre on February 11.

The auction marked the first of its kind in the history of the marquee league, replacing the traditional draft — a player selection process that had remained in place for the first 10 editions since the league’s inception in 2016.

Three-time champions Islamabad United began the proceedings by securing all-rounder Faheem Ashraf for a staggering PKR 85 million following an aggressive bidding war.

United also added Mark Chapman, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, and Max Bryant, while securing Imad Wasim, Richard Gleeson and Haider Ali to further strengthen both their pace resources and middle-order depth.

Meanwhile, the team made one change to their lineup, replacing West Indies pacer Shamar Joseph with Zimbabwe’s Blessing Muzarabani.

The franchise also retained several key players. Skipper Shadab Khan was retained in the platinum category, while pacer Salman Irshad and USA wicketkeeper-batter Andries Gous were retained in the gold and silver categories, respectively.

New Zealand’s Devon Conway was also announced as a direct signing and was roped in by the franchise for PKR 63 million.

It is pertinent to mention that the 11th edition of the PSL will begin on March 26, with the opening match set to be played between defending champions Lahore Qalandars and debutants Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen at the Gaddafi Stadium.

Updated Islamabad United Squad:

Shadab Khan (PKR 7.00 crores), Salman Irshad (PKR 1.2 crores), Andries Gous (PKR 1.4 crores), Devon Conway (PKR 6.30 crores), Faheem Ashraf (PKR 8.50 crores), Mehran Mumtaz (PKR 1.2 crores), Max Bryant (PKR 1.95 crores), Khurram Shahzad (PKR 2.70 crores), Mark Chapman (PKR 7.00 crores), Mohammad Wasim Jr (PKR 4.10 crores), Mir Hamza Sajjad (PKR 70 lacs), Sameer Minhas (PKR 1.90 crores), Sameen Gul (PKR 60 lacs), Shamar Joseph (PKR 1.10 crores), Imad Wasim (PKR 2.2 crores), Richard Gleeson (PKR 1.1 crores), Haider Ali (PKR 1.50 crores), Mohammad Hasnain (PKR 77.5 lacs), Dipendra Singh Airee (PKR 60 lacs) and Mohammad Faiq.