ISLAMABAD – Islamabad United, a two-time winning franchise in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), revealed on Saturday that they have acquired the talented fast bowler Naseem Shah in a significant swap deal.
Naseem, previously with Quetta Gladiators, had become a hot topic among cricket circles, drawing interest from multiple PSL franchises following reports of his departure from Quetta.
In the exchange, Abrar Ahmed and Muhammad Wasim Jr, former United players, moved to Quetta Gladiators.
Initially speculated to join Multan Sultans or Peshawar Zalmi, Naseem ultimately chose Islamabad United, favouring the team over other contenders.
While the PSL 9 draft is still 11 days away, Islamabad has secured two top-tier players even before the event.
Another prominent trade involved Imad Wasim, who became part of United through a swap deal that saw Hasan Ali moving to Karachi Kings. Wasim, the standout performer in PSL 8 with 404 runs and nine wickets, was named Player of the Tournament.
With power hitters like Rahmanullah Gurbaz from Afghanistan, Pakistan’s Azam Khan and Asif Ali, alongside all-rounders Shadab Khan and Faheem Ashraf, Islamabad is emerging as a strong contender for the upcoming season.
Earlier, Iftikhar Ahmed entered Multan Sultans via a significant swap with Rilee Rossouw, becoming the first player to feature for five different teams in the league. This trade also secured the first platinum pick for Multan in the upcoming PSL 9 Draft, scheduled for December 13 in Lahore.
