Haddin set to join PSL; Robin Singh to coach one of the franchises
Former Australian wicketkeeper-batsman, Brad Haddin has made himself available for the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) as per a report on cricket.com.au. The 37-year old recently bid adieu to the Test and ODI formats of the game, but will continue to play Twenty20.
Haddin plays for the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League (BBL), which is scheduled to run from December 17 until January 24. Sixers confirmed that Haddin put his name forward for the PSL draft.
Brad Hodge is the only other Australian to have agreed to be put in for the draft as the PSL schedule clashes with Australia’s tour of New Zealand. Six West Indian players including Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy, Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith and Sunil Narine are going to be a part of the T20 league.
Four players from Sri Lanka – Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Thisara Perera – and three players from England – Kevin Pietersen, Luke Wright and Tim Bresnan – have also nominated to join the PSL.
The PSL draft also has a few high-profile names who have agreed to coach the franchises. According to a report on Times of India , former Indian all-rounder Robin Singh is set to take up a coaching role in the PSL. Former Sri Lankan fast-bowler Chaminda Vaas, former West Indies opener Gordon Greenidge, and former South African coach Mickey Arthur have also put themselves forward for the tournament scheduled to begin in February 2016.
Robin Singh represented India in 136 ODIs and played one Test match. In his limited-overs international career, he scored 2336 runs and picked up 69 wickets.
Singh retired from cricket in 2004, and has since then taken up many coaching roles. He coached the Indian junior squads after his retirement, and was also the Indian national team fielding coach from 2007 to 2009. He has been coaching the Mumbai Indians squad since the third season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He guided the Mumbai outfit to two IPL championships and two Champions League Twenty20 titles.
Singh teamed up with Arun Kumar Layam in 2006 to form the Robin Singh Cricket Foundation in order to introduce the game of cricket to North Americans.
PSL Governing Council Chairman, Najam Sethi, spoke to The Express Tribune regarding the possibility of announcing more players and coaches for the league. “15 coaches have agreed to be drafted into PSL’s pool, which includes Vaas, Arthur, Singh and Greenidge. We’re still in talks with other top coaches and cricketers so more name will be revealed in the next few days,” he said.
The PSL is scheduled to be held from February 4 to 24 with five franchises vying for the championship in the United Arab Emirates.