While star players like former captain Shahid Afridi and experienced all-rounder Abdul Razzaq already having their contracts secured, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has roped in seven more Pakistani cricketers for the inaugural edition of its Twenty20 league.
According to details, former captains Mohammad Yousuf and Younus Khan are among the national cricketers who have signed fresh contracts with the SLC for the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) that will be played from July 19.
The other Pakistani players who have recently signed up include natioanl team discards Fawad Alam and Shahzaib Hasan, upcoming batsman Asad Shafiq and opener Ahmed Shehzad. Fast-bowler Mohammad Irfan was also included.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has already announced that it would not block the participation of the players in the tournament.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan cricket board has announced that the event will go as planned despite the withdrawal of Indian players following instructions by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). And while the SLC admitted that the league will incur a financial loss, the league will go ahead.
Excluding the Indian players, cricketers from all the top-cricketing nations including Daniel Vetorri (New Zealand), Herchelle Gibbs (South Africa), Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard (West Indies) are also expected to feature in the tournament.
