Lahore Qalandars have added Australia-born Riki Wessels to their squad for the Karachi leg of the 2019 Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Son of South African legend Kepler Wessels, Riki has joined the Qalandars squad as a replacement for Netherland’s Ryan ten Doeschate. The franchise has also added Sri Lanka’s Asela Gunaratne as a replacement for New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson.
Doeschate was initially slated to travel to Pakistan as one of the team’s five overseas players but an injury has ruled him out of the remainder of the PSL. His place will be now taken by the 33-year-old Wessels who has the experience of playing in 204 T20 clashes under his belt.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Wessels has previously represented Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL and recently turned out for Kandahar Knights in the inaugural Afghanistan Premier League (APL) in Sharjah.
Lahore Qalandars have arrived in Karachi #PSL pic.twitter.com/PZ2aNe2Rx4
— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) March 8, 2019
Along with Wessels and Gunaratne, Sandeep Lamichhane, David Wiese, Anton Devcich and Hardus Viljoen are the other members of Lahore’s overseas contingent which have travelled to Karachi for the Pakistan leg of the PSL.
The Qalandars had earlier been dealt a big blow with AB de Villiers ruling himself out of the Karachi clashes due to an injury. The South African had previously committed himself to travel to Pakistan for the business end of the tournament.
Lahore are currently second from bottom in the PSL table with just three wins to show from their eight clashes so far. They will kick off the Karachi leg of the PSL on Saturday when they face defending champions Islamabad United in a clash they must win if they are to keep their chances of making the play-off alive.
