Saud Shakeel joins Yorkshire for County Championship season
Saud could make his debut for Yorkshire in their first Division Two game against Leicestershire at Headingley on Thursday
Cricket PassionEditor
Posted - 2023-03-30T20:18:19+06:00
Updated - 2023-03-30T20:18:19+06:00
Yorkshire have signed Saud Shakeel for the first part of the County Championship season after New Zealand pacer Neil Wagner was out through injury.
Yorkshire have signed prolific Pakistani batsman Saud Shakeel for the early part of the County Championship season after Neil Wagner was out through injury.
Shakeel made a stunning start to his Test career against England and New Zealand last winter, hitting 50s in each of his first five appearances and averaging 72.5.
The 27-year-old could make his debut in the opening Division Two game against Leicestershire, which starts next Thursday at Headingley, depending on the speed at which his visa is processed.
Saud could make his debut for Yorkshire in their first Division Two game against Leicestershire at Headingley on Thursday. However, the player's availability is subject to the processing of their visa, which may cause delays.
Yorkshire's top 6 are bolstered with the addition of Saud adding extra strength to the team. However, there is a possibility that new club captain and Pakistani cricketer Shan Masood may not be available for the first rounds of Championship action.
Shan Masood, who signed a two-year deal from Derbyshire last September, was a non-playing member of the Pakistan Twenty20 squad that lost 2-1 to Afghanistan this week and remains as part of his country's two home series with five home games against New Zealand in T20 and one-day internationals from April 14.
If Masood is not selected for national duty, he will join the team in time for their first season outside the top flight since 2012.
Interestingly, Yorkshire opted to replace the outgoing Neil Wagner with a batsman rather than an equivalent replacement due to the early season availability of their other sailors.