Multan Sultans rope in Brendan Taylor, Joe Denly

KARACHI: Pakistan Super League (PSL) fifth edition’s top side Multan Sultans have roped in for this week’s playoffs Zimbabwe’s Brendan Taylor and England’s Joe Denly in place of Bangladesh’s Mahmudullah and England’s James Vince who have tested positive for Covid-19.

“Yes, we have brought in Denly and Taylor,” Multan Sultans’ spokesman confirmed to ‘The News’ on Tuesday.

“Denly is expected to arrive today. Taylor will leave his team for Karachi tomorrow,” the official said.

England’s Adam Lyth, Imran Tahir of South Africa, Ravi Bopara of England and Rilee Rossouw of South Africa have already reached the provincial metropolis.

Sultans will face Karachi Kings in the qualifier on November 14 here at the National Stadium.

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi will join Sultans on Wednesday (today).

Stumper Rohail Nazir, leggie Usman Qadir and Khushdil Shah will also join Sultans on Wednesday (today). They were part of the Pakistan squad for Zimbabwe T20 series which ended on Tuesday at Rawalpindi.

Sultans coaching staff including Andy Flower, Mushtaq Ahmad and Azhar Mahmood have also reached Karachi.

Lahore Qalandars’s four overseas cricketers, Ben Dunk of Australia, Dane Vilas of South Africa, David Wiese of South Africa and Samit Patel of England, have already arrived. Qalandars’ spokesman told this correspondent that Tamim Iqbal of Bangladesh would arrive on Wednesday (today).

Peshawar Zalmi also confirmed that South Africa’s Faf Du Plessis and Hardus Viljoen of South Africa reached here on Tuesday. England’s Saqib Mahmood, who has replaced Livingstone, and Carlos Brathwaite of the West Indies have already joined the squad.

Zalmi’s spokesman said that he cannot yet confirm when exactly head coach Daren Sammy would arrive. “I will let you know about Sammy later,” Zalmi spokesman said.

Karachi Kings’ spokesman confirmed the arrival of Alex Hales of England, Cameron Delport of South Africa, and Chadwick Walton and Sherfane Rutherford of the West Indies.

Teams have already started practice here at various venues. The playoff had been suspended on March 17 2020 due to Covid-19. There will be no spectators as per Covid protocols.