KARACHI: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Karachi Kings have named pacer Akif Javed as replacement for injured fast-bowler Mir Hamza for the remainder of the season.
Mir Hamza suffered a finger injury during Kings’ opening PSL 8 match against Peshawar Zalmi on February 14.
He sustained the injury when he tried to stop a drive by Babar Azam in the initial overs of the game. The ball hit his fingers and hit the stumps, resulting in the dismissal of Peshawar Zalmi batter Saim Ayub.
The physio of the team applied a pain-relieving spray on Hamza's fingers during the game. The pacer bowled two overs and claimed the wicket of Zalmi opener Muhammad Haris giving away only 13 runs.
After the game, he was taken to a hospital for a scan, which confirmed the nature of the injury after which the Karachi administration requested the technical committee to name a replacement for him.
In the last season, Hamza bagged eight wickets in four matches for the Kings.
Hamza's replacement Akif has previously represented two-time PSL champion Islamabad United.
Hamza is the third fast bowler to be ruled out of PSL 8 in the previous two days.
Sultans suffer setback
Before their second game, Multan Sultans got back-to-back bad news as pacer Shahnawaz Dahani and South Africa's Wayne Parnell were ruled out of the PSL 8 due to injuries.
The Sultans named Mohammad Ilyas and Carlos Braithwaite as Dahani and Parnell's replacements.
Complete PSL 8 schedule
13 Feb - Multan Sultans v Lahore Qalandars, Multan Cricket Stadium
14 Feb - Karachi Kings v Peshawar Zalmi, National Bank Cricket Arena
15 Feb - Multan Sultans v Quetta Gladiators, Multan Cricket Stadium
16 Feb - Karachi Kings v Islamabad United, National Bank Cricket Arena
17 Feb - Multan Sultans v Peshawar Zalmi, Multan Cricket Stadium
18 Feb - Karachi Kings v Quetta Gladiators, National Bank Cricket Arena
19 Feb - Multan Sultans v Islamabad United, Multan Cricket Stadium; Karachi Kings v Lahore Qalandars, National Bank Cricket Arena
20 Feb - Quetta Gladiators v Peshawar Zalmi, National Bank Cricket Arena
21 Feb - Quetta Gladiators v Lahore Qalandars, National Bank Cricket Arena
22 Feb - Multan Sultans v Karachi Kings, Multan Cricket Stadium
23 Feb - Peshawar Zalmi v Islamabad United, National Bank Cricket Arena
24 Feb - Quetta Gladiators v Islamabad United, National Bank Cricket Arena
26 Feb - Karachi Kings v Multan Sultans, National Bank Cricket Arena; Lahore Qalandars v Peshawar Zalmi, Gaddafi Stadium
27 Feb - Lahore Qalandars v Islamabad United, Gaddafi Stadium
1 Mar - Peshawar Zalmi v Karachi Kings, Pindi Cricket Stadium
2 Mar - Lahore Qalandars v Quetta Gladiators, Gaddafi Stadium
3 Mar - Islamabad United v Karachi Kings, Pindi Cricket Stadium
4 Mar - Lahore Qalandars v Multan Sultans, Gaddafi Stadium
5 Mar - Islamabad United v Quetta Gladiators, Pindi Cricket Stadium
6 Mar - Quetta Gladiators v Karachi Kings, Pindi Cricket Stadium
7 Mar - Peshawar Zalmi v Lahore Qalandars, Pindi Cricket Stadium; Islamabad United v Multan Sultans, Pindi Cricket Stadium
8 Mar – Pakistan Women’s League Exhibition Match 1, Pindi Cricket Stadium; Peshawar Zalmi v Quetta Gladiators, Pindi Cricket Stadium
9 Mar - Islamabad United v Lahore Qalandars, Pindi Cricket Stadium
10 Mar - Pakistan Women’s League Exhibition Match 2, Pindi Cricket Stadium; Peshawar Zalmi v Multan Sultans, Pindi Cricket Stadium
11 Mar - Pakistan Women’s League Exhibition Match 3, Pindi Cricket Stadium; Quetta Gladiators v Multan Sultans, Pindi Cricket Stadium
12 Mar - Islamabad United v Peshawar Zalmi, Pindi Cricket Stadium; Lahore Qalandars v Karachi Kings, Gaddafi Stadium
15 Mar - Qualifier (1 v 2), Gaddafi Stadium
16 Mar - Eliminator 1 (3 v 4), Gaddafi Stadium
17 Mar - Eliminator 2 (loser Qualifier v winner Eliminator 1), Gaddafi Stadium
19 Mar – Final, Gaddafi Stadium
Faizan Lakhani Faizan Lakhani is Deputy Editor (Sports) at Geo News.