Sammy gives nod to play PSL; accord with Sanga, KP, Gayle likely this week

KARACHI: West Indies T20i captain Darren Sammy has joined the list of superstars who have given a nod to play next year’s Pakistan Super League (PSL) in Doha, Qatar.

“Darren Sammy has agreed to play the PSL, we have received OK from him earlier today,” said a source.

The source added that PSL management was also in the final stages of reaching an agreement with Sri Lankan superstar Kumar Sangakkara, England’s Kevin Pietersen and Caribbean T20 specialist Chris Gayle.

“We will reach an agreement with the top trio by the end of this week, fans will soon hear a good news regarding the Pakistan Super League,” said the source.

Meanwhile, several local players have also approached the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the PSL management to partake in the biggest T20 extravaganza of the country.

Some players from Zimbabwe have also contacted the Pakistan Super League team.

“We will soon shortlist a pool of foreign players, between 25 to 40, it will be announced in due course,” the source added.

West Indies’ Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith and Samuel Badree, Sri Lanka’s Thisara Perara, TN Dilshan and Ajantha Mendis, New Zealand's Grant Elliott and James Franklin, Australia’s Brad Hodge, South Africa’s Richard Levi and Roben Peterson, England’s Tim Bresnan and Michael Carberry were already named by the PSL sources as players to have consented upon playing the league.

The Pakistan Super League is scheduled to be played in Doha between February and 24 and experts believe that the league will help Pakistan cricketers improve their skills by playing alongside the top cricketers of the world.