PSL 2024: Islambad United Sign Martin Guptill As Replacement Player

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Islamabad United has signed New Zealand opener Martin Guptill as a replacement player for the remainder of the ongoing Pakistan Super League season 9 - PSL 2024.

Guptill, who is no longer in the national side plans, has been roped in to replace UAE batter Mohammad Waseem, who was signed up by Islamabad only earier this month, but his national team commitments has forced the PSL side to sign a replacement.

UAE's Cricket World Cup League 2 campaign in Dubai is starting next week and ending on March 9, just a day before Islamabad United's final league game of the season on March 10. With conflict in schedule, Waseem was unlikely to be available for the PSL side.

The 37-year-old New Zealand opener Guptill has previously had stints at Quetta Gladiators and Karachi Kings in the previous editions of the PSL. He has scored 379 runs in 15 innings at a strike rate of 139.33. The right-handed opener also has 1 century and a fifty under his belt in PSL.

Overall in 344 T20 appearances across leagues and the international stage, Guptill has scored 9567 runs including 6 hundreds and 55 fifties at a strike rate of 130. In the recent IT20 though, he struggled for runs, scoring just 140 runs in 6 innings at a strike rate of 106.08.

However, the Kiwi batter has shown signs of return to form with a century that has helped the Auckland Aces secure a spot in New Zealand's domestic 50 over final against Canterbury.

Guptill will join compatriot and former opening partner Colin Munro, England's Alex Hales, Jordan Cox and Tymal Mills as the foreign players in the Islamabad United squad for the season. He will also link up with fellow Kiwi Mike Hesson, who is the head coach at United.

Islamabad United has won one and lost one in their two matches of the ongoing PSL 2024. Shadab Khan-led side, which opened their campaign with a 8-wicket victory over defending champions Lahore Qalandars, fell to a 5-wicket loss against Multan Sultans in their most recent outing.

Islamabad United will next take on Quetta Gladiators at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Thursday (February 22) before they return to action early next week against Peshawar Zalmi at the same venue in Lahore on Monday (February 26).