Pakistan-born UAE cricketer Usman Khan could face severe repercussions if found guilty of contract breach after getting included in the 29-man Pakistan squad for the training camp with the Pakistan Army in Kakul for a fitness boost. Usman seemed to have invited legal trouble, with the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) investigating the matter to find loopholes.
Per the latest reports, the ECB is studying the possibilities of a contract breach by Usman with the UAE board and several franchise-based T10/T20 tournaments where he played as a local UAE player. The review’s decision, which will come in a fortnight, could carry major ramifications for the top-order batter. If found guilty, Usman could face a ban from UAE league cricket, which further restricts him from featuring in ILT20 and T10 Abu Dhabi League.
Also, in case of a contract breach, Usman could face sanctions surrounding his work permit, under which he lived in the country to complete the residency requirement to qualify to play international cricket for UAE. Usman still has 14 months left to satisfy the criteria.
Meanwhile, Usman is sure of not breaching any contract, stating that it included an exit clause with a 30-day notice period. Although Usman is yet to confirm his status on whether he accepted PCB’s offer of playing international cricket for Pakistan following a stunning PSL 2024, he admits that the offer made was enticing to look beyond.
However, in an interview with ESPNcricinfo ahead of the PSL 2024 final, Usman turned down the chance of representing Pakistan on the international stage, citing the ease at which he can play in different franchise-based leagues worldwide as a UAE player and the advantages of being considered a local player in the UAE’s shorter-format leagues. The situation seems to have escalated in the other direction since.
T20 World Cup lures Usman
With the possibility of playing the 2024 T20 World Cup for Pakistan rising in the background and Usman’s decision to accept PCB’s offer of getting included in the training camp from March 26 to April 8, the batter could pick playing for the Men in Green shortly.
Considering two former cricketers – Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir, have come out of retirement to make them available for T20 WC, Pakistan could pose a threat to all teams in the tournament starting June 1 in the Caribbean and the USA.
