Shane Watson signs up for PSL draft

Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has signed up for the upcoming inaugural edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) which will be played in the United Arab Emirates.

Watson has agreed to be the part of a draft pick which will take place in December, with more than 150 foreign players already available for the franchises to choose from.

Watson has so far played in 154 Twenty20 matches and has amassed more than 4,000 runs while taking 121 wickets.

Speaking about his involvement in the PSL, Watson felt that it will be a great experience with plenty of world-class players poised to take part in the tournament.

"I am very excited to be involved in the inaugural PSL," the all-rounder said.

"There are a lot of world class players involved so I can’t wait to be a part of it." 

PSL Chairman Najam Sethi is confident that Watson will be a sought after player in the draft pick. 

"He will definitely be a hot pick in the PSL draft," said Sethi.

There will be five franchises in the PSL who will be allowed to pick four foreign players each from the 152 players currently in the draft.

There are six West Indies players including Chris Gayle, Sunil Narine and Kieron Pollard, while Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Angelo Mathews have also signed up.

From England, Kevin Pietersen, Luke Wright and Tim Bresnan have made themselves available for the draft and New Zealand’s Grant Elliott and Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh are also present.

The PSL draft will also see the franchises picking coaches for their teams with names like Mickey Arthur, Stephen Fleming, Chaminda Vaas, Darren Berry, Gordon Greenidge and Robin Singh up for grabs.

The PSL is currently scheduled to be played between 4th and 24th February in Dubai and Sharjah, although those dates clash with Australia's tour of New Zealand. 

© Cricket World 2015