PSL 2021: Andre Russell, Miller, Allen and Fidel Edwards leave tournament for international duties

On Friday, June 11, West Indies explosive power-hitter Andre Russell made his debut in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The all-rounder plied his trade for Quetta Gladiators in the match against Islamabad United at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. 

Russell’s debut appearance in the league didn’t go as per the plan as he ended up being concussed on delivery by Muhammad Musa. It ruled Russell from the rest of the game and Gladiators’ next match against Peshwar Zalmi on Saturday. However, it is now learned that the decorated all-rounder has been ruled out of the remainder of the PSL 2021. 

On Tuesday, just before Quetta Gladiators locked horns against Lahore Qalandars, it was informed that the right-arm fast-medium Zahoor Khan has been named as the replacement for Andre Russell. With an hour of inclusion into the Gladiators squad, Zahoor was handed his debut PSL cap as he found a place in Quetta’s Playing XI.

Though the 32-year-old failed to deliver any remarkable performance, he scripted history by becoming the first UAE cricketer to play in a world-leading T20 franchise competition. Zahoor has featured in as many as 19 One Day Internationals and 22 T20 Internationals for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) picking 34 and 27 wickets respectively at an economy rate of 5.80 and 6.34 respectively. 

David Miller to not participate in the remainder of PSL 2021

Meanwhile, the PSL franchise Peshawar Zalmi have also received a massive blow as their three overseas players including the likes of David Miller, Fabian Allen, and Fidel Edwards’ will not be participating in the rest of the T20 Championship. 

All the aforementioned three players will be going back to their home country to perform their international duties. Notably, South Africa has toured the West Indies for two-match Test match series and five T20 Internationals. Allen, Miller, and Edwards are a part of the five-match T20I series, scheduled to start from June 26 at the National Cricket Stadium in St George’s. 

While Australia batsman Jonathan Wells has joined the Peshawar Zalmi squad,  all-rounder Imran Randhawa would not be traveling to Abu Dhabi due to visa delay.