Vitality Blast 2022: Shadab Khan joins fellow teammate Haris Rauf at Yorkshire

Pakistan spin-bowling all-rounder Shadab Khan has joined the Yorkshire County cricket club to feature in the forthcoming T20 Vitality Blast.

The talented leg-spinner will be available for Yorkshire during their first five and last six fixtures of the season.

Shadab's appointment was confirmed by Yorkshire last month and he subsequently received a 'No Objection Certificate' from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for his participation in the league.

The right-arm wrist spinner has joined Haris Rauf, who recently represented Yorkshire in the County Championship fixtures.

Darren Gough, the former England fast bowler and current interim director of Yorkshire, was full of praise for Shadab, stating that his acquisition will add another dimension to the Yorkshire team.

"Shadab is an amazing player, he can bat as high as three, which he did in the PSL, or as low as six, seven or eight to really strengthen our lower order," Gough had said at the time of appointment of Shadab Khan.

Khan was in sensational form in the recent season of the Pakistan Super League.

He spearheaded Islamabad United with both bat and ball and proved to be one of the marquee players of the season.

In 9 games, Khan hammered 268 runs at 33.50 and at a strike rate in excess of 162.42 besides claiming 19 wickets at an average of 10.89.

Khan ended the season as the second-highest wicket-taker despite playing 4 games less than the leading wicket-taker, Shaheen Shah Afridi (20 in 13 games at 19.70).

Meanwhile, Khan and Harif will likely return home soon as they are expected to be named in the Pakistan squad for the upcoming ODI series against the West Indies.

Pakistan will host the Nicholas Pooran-led West Indies for a three-match ODI series in June. The three matches will take place at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium between June 08-12.

The T20 Blast will get underway on May 25, the opening day will see Yorkshire locks horns with Worcestershire and Kent go up against Somerset.