Yorkshire Awaits Captain Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel's Arrival Ahead of County Season
Shan Masood to play for Yorkshire [Twitter]
Ahead of the County Championship 2023, the Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC) are still awaiting the arrival of their Pakistani recruits Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel due to visa issue. Masood signed a two-deal all-format deal with Yorkshire and was named their club captain replacing stand-in skipper Jonny Tattersall, who stood in for Steven Patterson, who resigned in July 2022.
Masood had a terrific 2022 County season with Derbyshire, slamming 1,074 runs in Division Two, 547 runs in T20 Blast, and 203 runs in the one-day cup.
Shakeel comes in for the injured Neil Wagner, as their second-overseas player apart from Masood. Wagner suffered an injury during New Zealand's Test against England last month.
Speaking to Yorkshire Post, head coach Ottis Gibson confirmed the same ahead of the club's opening Division Two County Championship match against Leicestershire on Thursday.
Here's what Gibson said
"We haven’t heard anything yet regarding Shan. But if he's available then hopefully we can get him on a plane as soon as possible,
We've had discussions with Saud Shakeel, but the reality is that when it comes to Pakistani players getting visas it takes longer than normal, and he's been trying for about two weeks now to get a visa and nothing's happened with that."
Shan is in contention to find a place in Pakistan's ODI and T20I squad against the visiting New Zealand side, which might see the opener the initial stages of the Championship season.
 "Vishal Mehra")
