LAHORE – Former Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf has provisionally agreed to join Smethwick. The 36-year-old is currently on a six-week stint with Warwickshire and is poised to play for the Bears in their County Championship clash with Worcestershire, which starts tomorrow.
Yousuf was brought in by Warwickshire’s Director of Cricket Ashley Giles to replace compatriot Younis Khan, who left the county in the lurch by deciding to tour the West Indies with Pakistan having initially indicated that he would sit out that trip. After he completes his spell at Edgbaston, it is expected that Yousuf, who hit 24 centuries in 90 Test matches for Pakistan, will join the Premier Division outfit Smethwick for the remainder of the season.
Smethwick captain David Banks said: “There is still a little way to go to finalise everything, but we are hopeful that Mohammad will be able to join us after he finishes with Warwickshire. “We have a provisional agreement in place and all of the relevant paperwork has been submitted to both the league and other authorities. “Obviously to bring in a player of Mohammad’s quality would be a real boost for us, because he is a top-class player as everyone knows. “Of course, a lot can happen between now and six weeks time but we our fingers crossed that he will be available by the beginning of June.”
