English county club Kent has agreed a deal to sign Pakistan fast bowler Wahab Riaz, subject to visa clearance. The 25-year-old left-arm pacer had taken 5-46 in his country’s World Cup semi-final encounter against India in March. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has given clearance to Wahab to play for Kent this summer. “He’s got genuine pace, he’s a smashing guy and we think he will be a fantastic addition to our bowling,” BBC Radio quoted Kent coach Paul Farbrace, as saying. “We’re in discussion with the PCB over how much cricket he can play. They’ve got a tour of Zimbabwe planned for August, we’ll hope to keep him with us until then although there is talk of him playing in the Sri Lankan Twenty20 but that’s not confirmed,” he added. Wahab had said that he would complete his stint with Kent this month before going to Sri Lanka for the Twenty20 league, and would then return to England to play more matches for Kent. “Obviously I will be available on priority basis for Pakistan in its next international assignment in August in Zimbabwe,” The left-arm pacer had said. The Kent coach said that the club’s plan is for Wahab to play all forms of cricket while he’s with Kent and Charl Langeveldt to play just Twenty20. “Hopefully he’ll be alright to play on Friday and he’ll stay in the side to play Championship Cricket, CB40 and Twenty20. We’re in negotiations with him to keep him after the Twenty20 finishes,” Farbrace added.
