Middlesex sign Keshav Maharaj for County Championship and T20 Blast

Middlesex have announced the signing of star South African spinner Keshav Maharaj for the upcoming County Championship and T20 Blast season on Monday (February 2023). The left-arm spinner will be available for the next eight Championship games and the entire 2022 T20 Blast season.

The 33-year-old recently led Dolphins in South Africa's domestic red-ball cricket tournament CSA four-day Series Divison 1. He has taken 23 wickets from just three matches, including 11 against the Knights in the last match. He is is part of South Africa's two-match home Test series against West Indies starting on February 28.

He also has impressive numbers in County Championship, with 72 wickets from 13 games at an average of 21.72 while playing for Lancashire and Yorkshire. His experience and form will be crucial for Middlesex, who finished second in Division Two last season.

Alan Coleman, Middlesex's Director of Cricket, said that the camp is excited to have a player of Maharaj's calibre. He said that Maharaj is a world-class talent and that will help them compete against the biggest team in top-flight this season.

"We are delighted that Keshav has signed for Middlesex this season and are really excited to have someone of his calibre and experience joining us for the first four months of the season," Alan Coleman said in a official statement.

"Two hard fought games against Nottinghamshire last season, who came up from Division Two with us, showed us just what we'll be facing week in week out this coming season, so we felt it was essential that we brought in someone of world-class talent, with the quality of Keshav, to enable us to better handle the challenges that top-flight cricket will bring. The young spinners we have in our squad will benefit enormously from having Keshav with us this year," he added.

Maharaj also expressed his excitement and said that he is looking forward on contributing in the team's success across formats this season. 

"I'm really excited to be linking up with such a professional and experienced county and am looking forward to wearing the Middlesex colours and calling the Home of Cricket my home. I hope I can contribute to the team's success across the various formats and am excited to form part of the Middlesex family," Maharaj said. 

Middlesex host Essex in their opening Championship Division One game at Lord's starting on April 6 and will kick off their T20 Blast 2023 season against Surrey on May 25 at home.