UAE's Mohammad Waseem pulls out of PSL 2024 due to national duty; Martin Guptill joins Islamabad United as replacement

Martin Guptill has replaced Mohammad Waseem in Islamabad United's squad for the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) tournament. The Kiwi opener received a deal from Islamabad after the franchise could not avail Waseem's services due to the latter's national duty.

Waseem was in fantastic form during the International League T20 tournament in the UAE. Islamabad United signed him for PSL 2024 midway through ILT20. However, UAE's Cricket World Cup League 2 campaign begins next week. It will end on March 9, while Islamabad's last league game is on March 10.

Mohammad Waseem would not have been available for the majority of the PSL 2024 matches. Thus, Islamabad United have signed Martin Guptill as a replacement.

Meanwhile, Lahore Qalandars have signed South African all-rounder George Linde as a replacement for ace leg spinner Rashid Khan. The Afghanistan all-rounder is yet to attain full fitness after undergoing surgery, which forced him to miss the away T20I series against India in January.

Rashid is expected to be fit in time to play for Gujarat Titans in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League.

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Martin Guptill played for Quetta Gladiators in PSL 2023

Martin Guptill has a decent amount of experience playing in the Pakistan Super League, having turned up for the Quetta Gladiators and the Karachi Kings in the past. His last PSL stint came with the Gladiators in the 2023 season, where he smashed a fantastic ton against the Kings in Karachi.

Quetta Gladiators did not retain him for the 2024 season. None of the other PSL franchises showed interest in him initially as well, but the Kiwi opener is back in the tournament now as a replacement signing for the Islamabad United team.

Islamabad are third in the PSL 2024 points table right now. They have recorded one win and one defeat in two matches so far this season.