Rashid Khan returns to ILT20 as a replacement player for MI Emirates

Rashid Khan, the leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket, has been roped in as a replacement player in the ongoing International League T20 (ILT20) by the MI Emirates. The announcement will mark Rashid’s return to the Emirates league after three seasons, having been busy with the SA20, leading the MI Cape Town for the last couple of years. With the windows being slightly different for both tournaments, it allowed several overseas players to ply their trade in both competitions, with the SA20 only scheduled to begin on December 26.

Rashid replaced English all-rounder Jordan Thompson in the MI Emirates’ roster after being ruled out due to an injury. Thompson was bought back by the franchise at the first-ever ILT20 auction in September earlier this year, but in his absence, Romario Shepherd and Shakib Al Hasan will have to fulfil that all-rounder’s role, with Chris Woakes lower down the order.

In two games previously, Rashid took four wickets in the ILT20 and will form a key spin combination with Shakib and AM Ghazanfar for the MI Emirates.

MI Emirates handed captaincy to Kieron Pollard from Nicholas Pooran, with the latter set to leave the ILT20 for SA20, having signed with MI Cape Town for the full season. A few players, who are part of both tournaments, have agreed with their SA20 teams to arrive late, with the ILT20 scheduled to be completed on January 4.

MI Emirates will kick off their campaign in the fourth edition of the tournament against the inaugural champions, Gulf Giants, on Thursday, December 4.

MI Emirates squad: Andre Fletcher, Jonny Bairstow, Nicholas Pooran(w), Muhammad Waseem, Kieron Pollard(c), Romario Shepherd, Shakib Al Hasan, Chris Woakes, Naveen-ul-Haq, Zahoor Khan, Ackeem Auguste, Arab Gul Momand, Muhammad Rohid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Kamindu Mendis, Zain Ul Abidin, Mohamed Shafeeq, Nosthush Kenjige, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Rashid Khan, Tajinder Dhillon, Tom Banton