London [UK], April 8 : Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC) announced the signing of Pakistan batter Saud Shakeel for an initial four-game spell as an overseas player.
"Shakeel, 27, will be available for selection for the second County Championship game against Gloucestershire at Bristol next week and will be one of the Club's overseas players, joining Shai Hope in the squad," YCCC statement read.
Shakeel will be available for an initial four-game spell in Division Two, though there is scope for an extension to his stay at Headingley.
The talented left-handed Pakistan batter made his Test debut last winter against England and New Zealand, had a stunning start to his international career by scoring 50s in each of his first five appearances and averaging 72.5 in the process.
"Saud is a very talented young player, he will be a wonderful addition to our current squad. He did well against England and New Zealand - and here at Yorkshire we want to get the balance right between youth and experience and we now feel we have got a squad where we have plenty of opportunities for everyone," Darren Gough, Managing Director of Cricket for Yorkshire County Cricket Club, said in an official statement.
"We don't want to be in a position like last year where we had to rely purely on youth at times - you need that balance in the line-up," Gough said.
Shakeel will help bolster the Yorkshire squad following an injury to overseas player Neil Wagner, from New Zealand, and the unavailability of new captain Shan Masood for the initial rounds of the Championship after being selected in Pakistan's upcoming home series against New Zealand.
"We see this as a great signing.Saud is coming over here looking to put his name in lights. He has already played for Pakistan - he'll be in their Test squad in July most likely. He is coming here to develop his game and it's great for us to have someone else of international experience coming into the Yorkshire dressing room," Gough added.
Karachi-born Shakeel has played five Tests and as many ODIs.
He has scored 4,773 runs in 62 first-class career matches to date, including 16 hundreds. He averages an eye-catching 54.23.
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