Who is the first Pakistani cricketer to join UAE’s ILT20?

KARACHI: Power-hitter Azam Khan has become the first Pakistani cricketer to sign up for the UAE’s ILT20, according to an ESPN report published Friday.

The wicketkeeper batter, who has played 74 T20s so far, scoring 1449 runs at a strike rate of just under 145, has joined Desert Vipers, the franchise owned by Lancer Capital.

The report stated that Khan’s inclusion is subject to a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to play. He, however, has been allowed to participate in the Caribbean Premier League after he filed an appeal when his first request was turned down.

The ILT20 is set to launch in January in which a number of Pakistani cricketers are reportedly interested to play and that has become a sticking point between the players and the board.

The franchise owners are offering lucrative packages to the top cricketers.

Azam Khan is joined by Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka), Sam Billings (England), and Sheldon Cottrell (West Indies) in the ILT20.

“The PCB had recently turned down NOCs for a batch of Pakistan players for the BBL draft and it had also refused two requests for NOCs for the ILT20,” the report said, adding the eighth edition of the Pakistan Super League is tentatively scheduled to start just days after the ILT20 ends in February 2023.

Desert Vipers squad: Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka), Sam Billings (England), Alex Hales (England), Colin Munro (New Zealand), Tom Curran (England), Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal), Ruben Trumpelmann (Namibia), Saqib Mahmood (England), Sherfane Rutherford (West Indies), Ben Duckett (England), Benny Howell (England), Sheldon Cottrell (West Indies), Azam Khan (Pakistan)