Sussex Sign Umar Gul as Twenty20 Expert
Umar Gul, the Pakistan fast bowler, has become the latest Pakistani recruited by an English county team. Sussex signed Umar Gul for Friends Life Twenty20 competition. Rana Naveed is already playing First Class Cricket for Sussex whereas another Pakistani, who is also England qualified, Naveed Arif is also playing for Sussex.
Counties are allowed to include maximum of two overseas players in Twenty20 competition which means that Umar Gul will be playing along with his compatriots i.e Rana Naveed and Naveed Arif. Naveed Arif will play as local player.
Umar Gul, with 47 wickets, is leading 2nd wicket-taker in Twenty20 internationals. He was also leading wicket-taker in ICC World Twenty20 2007 and 2009. He is widely considered as a T20 expert as he has also played for Kolkatta Knight Riders and Western Australia. His bowling figures, 5 for 6 against New Zealand, are best by any bowler in T20 internationals.
He was leading wicket-taker in Pakistan’s ODI series against England in England 2010 where he also took 6 wickets in Oval ODI.
“Coming to Sussex is a privilege and the chance to follow in the footsteps of other Pakistani greats from Imran Khan to Mushtaq Ahmed, and to Rana Naved in the current team, is very exciting,” Gul said.
Currently Mohammad Yousuf, Yasir Arafat, Rana Naveed, Azhar Mahmood are playing for Warwickshire, Surrey, Sussex and Kent respectively. Along with Umar Gul, Abdul Razzak and Shahid Afridi are expected to join Hampshire for Twenty20 competition.
