New Delhi: Fast bowler Ali Khan has become the first player from the United States to join the Indian Premier League after being included in the Kolkata Knight Riders squad.
The Pakistan-born Khan replaces England’s Harry Gurney, sidelined by a shoulder injury, in the Knight Riders team for the Twenty20 tournament starting Saturday in the United Arab Emirates.
“Welcome to the #KKRfamily @IamAlikhan23 ! Enjoy @IPL & the experience. Tough luck @gurneyhf . Get well soon. You will be missed,” Knight Riders chief executive Venky Mysore wrote on Twitter.
Gurney, a left-arm quick who has played 10 ODIs and two T20 internationals, pulled out of the IPL and England’s T20 Blast due to surgery on his shoulder.
Khan comes into the IPL after winning the Caribbean Premier League with the Trinbago Knight Riders — the same parent company as the Kolkata Knight Riders — who won all 12 matches to seal the title.
The right-armer was spotted at the 2018 Global T20 Canada by West Indian all-rounder Dwayne Bravo, who brought him to the CPL.
Khan, 29, played a key role in the US gaining ODI status at the World Cricket League Division Two event in Namibia last year.
Pakistan-born Ali Khan becomes first American in Indian Premier League cricket
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Pakistan-born Ali Khan becomes first American in Indian Premier League cricket
- Khan replaces England's Harry Gurney in the Knight Riders team for the Twenty20 tournament starting Saturday in the UAE
- Khan played key role in US gaining ODI status at the World Cricket League Division Two event last year
Sri Lanka seal gritty T20 win over Pakistan to level series
- In a contest trimmed to 12 overs a side, Sri Lanka scored 160 runs before choking Pakistan to 146-8
- The series saw the visitors clinch the opener by six wickets before rain washed out the second game
Dambulla: Sri Lanka eked out a hard fought 14-run victory over Pakistan in the third T20 at rain-hit Dambulla on Sunday, easing their batting jitters and squaring the three-match series 1-1.
The series, a warm-up for the T20 World Cup with Pakistan set to play all their matches in Sri Lanka due to political tensions with nuclear-armed neighbors India, saw the visitors clinch the opener by six wickets before rain washed out the second game.
“We were a bit worried about our batting and I’m glad we addressed that today,” said Wanindu Hasaranga, who walked away with both Player of the Match and Player of the Series honors.
“The bowlers did a good job too. The ball was wet and it wasn’t easy. We tried to bowl wide and slow and asked them to take risks.”
Hasaranga took four wickets in the game and in the process completed 150 wickets in T20Is.
In a contest trimmed to 12 overs a side, Sri Lanka muscled their way to a competitive 160 before choking Pakistan to 146-8.
Having been bowled out inside 20 overs in the series opener, Sri Lanka needed a statement with the bat and duly ticked every box after being put in.
The top order laid the platform and the middle order applied the finishing touches.
Wicket-keeper Kusal Mendis made hay under the Power Play, blasting 30 off 16 balls while Dhananjaya de Silva (22 off 15) and Charith Asalanka (21 off 13) kept the scoreboard ticking.
Skipper Dasun Shanaka then swung the momentum decisively, clubbing 34 off just nine deliveries, peppered with five towering sixes.
The sixth-wicket stand between Shanaka and Janith Liyanage produced 52 runs in just 15 balls and proved the turning point, shifting the game firmly Sri Lanka’s way.
Pakistan came out swinging in reply, racing to 50 in just 19 balls with captain Salman Agha hammering 45 off 12 balls, including five fours and three sixes.
But once the field spread, Sri Lanka tightened the screws, applied the choke and forced the asking rate to spiral.
“It was a good game of cricket,” Agha said.
“We conceded too many runs, but our batting effort was good. Unfortunately, we fell short. We know we are going to play all our World Cup games in Sri Lanka and it’s important that we played in similar conditions,” he added.
