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Peshawar Zalmi has named Australian all-rounder Aaron Hardie as a direct signing for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.
The signing was confirmed via the franchise’s social media accounts.
“After much anticipation, we are proud to announce Australian all-rounder Aaron Hardie as our direct signing for PSL11. A proven match-winner, Hardie brings balance, power, and versatility to the squad.” the caption of the post read.
Hardie, 27, has represented Australia in 15 ODIs and 16 T20Is. Overall, he has played 99 T20s, scalping 56 wickets and scoring 1855 runs.
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A few days earlier, the franchise had picked Afghanistan’s opening batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz as a direct signing. However, he opted out of the league, citing personal commitments.
The 24-year-old Afghan opener confirmed his unavailability through a message in Pashto.
“After the World Cup, I won’t be available for the PSL this season due to my schedule,” Gurbaz said. “I will be focusing more on my foundation work in Afghanistan. Thank you for all the love and support.”
His sudden withdrawal prompted a detailed response from the 2017 PSL champions, who clarified that Gurbaz’s signing had been completed strictly in accordance with league regulations and after obtaining the required No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from both the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB).
“We would like to clarify to our valued and loyal fan base that the recent direct signing of Afghanistan cricketer Mr Rahmanullah Gurbaz was completed strictly after he received full NOC clearance from both the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Afghanistan Cricket Board,” the franchise stated.
Peshawar Zalmi emphasised that Gurbaz was selected purely on professional and cricketing grounds and was among the top options available on the official player list provided to franchises.
“At the time of selection, he was among the best available options on the official list provided, and his signing followed the prescribed process accordingly,” the statement added.
“This decision was taken purely on professional and cricketing grounds, in full compliance with PSL regulations, PCB guidelines and the established framework of the HBL PSL. No consideration beyond merit, team requirements, and due process was involved.,” it concluded.
For the unversed, the PSL 11 will kick off on March across five cities in Pakistan.
