MI Cape Town captain Rashid Khan will not be able to take part in the upcoming SA20 season as he continues to recover from hip surgery. The top leg-spinner has been selected in Afghanistan's squad for the three-match T20I series to be played in India on January 11, but is unlikely to feature, the Cricket Board (ACB) said in a statement.
Rashid was also absent from the T20I series and Big Bash League (BBL) that Afghanistan recently held in the UAE. Kieron Pollard will captain MI Cape Town during Rashid's injury absence and make his SA20 debut. Pollard also has a contract with MI Emirates for ILT20 in 2024, but due to a conflict with SA20, Nicholas Pooran will take over as captain of MI Emirates from Pollard.
It remains to be seen whether Pollard will join MI Emirates for the final round of ILT20 in the United Arab Emirates. Pollard recently featured as part of the New York Strikers in the Abu Dhabi T10 League, but the team lost in the final against the Gladiators.
Pooran, Pollard's CPL teammate at Trinbago Knight Riders, had refused to sign with West Indies in December 2023 to become a free agent. Pooran was announced as a wildcard pick for Durban Super Giants in September 2023 and is expected to play three games for the SA20 before linking up with MI Emirates for the second season of the ILT20.
SA20 will be held from January 10th to February 10th and ILT20 will be held from January 19th to February 17th. Both leagues will also coincide against New Zealand Super Smash and Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
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