The PSL 9 will be the first time for a franchise team to feature three brothers as Naseem Shah and his brothers, Hunain Shah and Ubaid Shah, are set to don the jersey of Islamabad United.
However, their captain Shadab Khan revealed that Naseem Shah was initially reluctant to have his brothers in the same team.
“Naseem was under a lot of tension, and he was even refusing to take his brothers, but obviously, we had to look at our team and pick the best options, especially in the emerging category, which is the most important,” Shadab emphasized in a recent interview.
๐ฅ The #ShahBrothers ๐ฅ
With these three on our side, victories aren't just hoped for, they're expected. ๐#UnitedWeWin #RedHotSquad๐ฆ #HBLPSL9 pic.twitter.com/79vKC0nbdN
— Islamabad United (@IsbUnited) February 15, 2024
During the interview, Shadab Khan also shed light on the decision to include experienced Imad Wasim.
Shadab expressed confidence in the all-rounder’s expertise. “The kind of experience Imad brings is exactly what we needed. His addition will bolster our team’s combination,” he added.
“When we both play together, it not only strengthens our batting lineup but also provides us with additional bowling options.”
Providing an update on the fitness of Naseem Shah, Shadab noted positive progress. “Naseem appears fully fit after overcoming an injury. While regaining form takes time, we’re hopeful he’ll be back to his best soon,” he reassured.
Waiting for 17th February be like: ๐ pic.twitter.com/hQ58dQCj5K
— Islamabad United (@IsbUnited) February 12, 2024
Furthermore, Shadab also reflected on the challenges of team selection, particularly regarding limited slots and the departure of players like Hasan Ali to other franchises.
“Due to certain category constraints, we faced challenges in retaining all our preferred players. But someone had to go, so I think even the ‘friendship’ tag, which is an extra burden and a tag in our culture, has been removed,” Shadab explains.
“Hasan has gone to a new franchise with Shan Masood. With Islamabad, Karachi suits him too as a franchise given the nature he has. It was a tough decision, but we couldn’t do anything about it.”