Shadab Khan appointed Desert Vipers captain for GSL 2026
Shadab replaces injured Chris Green as skipper after all-rounder was ruled out through injury
KARACHI: Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan has been appointed captain of the Desert Vipers for the third edition of the Global Super League (GSL), scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 1.
Shadab takes over the captaincy from Australian all-rounder Chris Green, who was initially named skipper but was forced to withdraw from the tournament after suffering a hand injury while playing county cricket in England.
The Desert Vipers confirmed the appointment through their official social media channels, sharing an image of Shadab steering a boat with the caption: "Ready to steer the Vipers to greater heights! Shadab Khan is our captain for GSL 2026."
Meanwhile, South African top-order batter Rilee Rossouw has been named as Green's replacement for the tournament.
The Vipers' squad boasts a strong blend of international talent, with New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell and USA's Andries Gous strengthening the batting line-up, while the all-rounders' department features Shadab, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer and Mitchell.
Shadab brings extensive franchise experience, having represented teams in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Lanka Premier League (LPL), International League T20 (ILT20), The Hundred, Major League Cricket (MLC), Big Bash League (BBL) and Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
The leg-spinning all-rounder has also enjoyed considerable success as captain of Islamabad United, guiding the franchise to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) title in the tournament's ninth edition. He has recorded 40 victories in 69 matches as captain, giving him a win percentage of 57.97.
Shadab is among the most accomplished all-rounders in PSL history. In 98 matches, he has scored 1,486 runs at a strike rate of 142.20, including nine half-centuries, while claiming 112 wickets to rank as the tournament's third-highest wicket-taker.
The 2026 edition of the Global Super League will feature five teams competing across 11 matches, with all fixtures set to be played at Providence Stadium in Guyana.
Updated Desert Vipers squad for GSL 2026: Andries Gous, Vritty Aravind, Zachary Carter, Bevon Jacobs, Kyle Mayers, Daryl Mitchell, Shadab Khan (c), Sanjay Pahal, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, Rilee Rossouw, Jason Behrendorff, Khary Pierre, Ramon Simmonds and Mattiullah Khan.
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