Sri Lankan all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga’s participation in the upcoming Pakistan Super League 9 appears doubtful as he has yet to receive clearance from the cricket board. Quetta Gladiators’ official announcement indicated that Hasaranga, originally set to play the first five matches of the PSL, may miss the initial two games due to scheduling conflicts with the Afghanistan versus Sri Lanka series.
Hasaranga was supposed to play first 5 matches.
— Nabeel Hashmi (@iNabeelHashmi) February 16, 2024
Scheduling of AFG v SL series meant he would miss first 2 matches & his availability curtailed to 3 matches.
But even that is looking unlikely now as we continue to wait on his NOC.
We signed Akeal Hosein for that very reason 😊 https://t.co/1IxvlibV6w
Although Hasaranga can join for the remaining three matches, contingent upon receiving a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Sri Lanka Cricket, approval is still pending, leaving Quetta Gladiators awaiting confirmation.
Despite this setback, Quetta’s management expressed satisfaction with the signing of Akeal Hossain, who offers a similar skill set to Hasaranga. Wanindu Hasaranga, known for his right-arm leg-spin bowling and valuable contributions as a lower-order batsman in the T20 format, holds significant importance as Sri Lanka’s T20I captain and has established himself in various franchise leagues worldwide.
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Having previously played for IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore and other leagues internationally, the Galle-born cricketer made his debut in white-ball cricket in 2017, representing Sri Lanka across all three formats.
Given the presence of Akeal Hossain in Quetta Gladiators’ lineup, it is unlikely that they will seek a replacement for Wanindu Hasaranga at this time.