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Cricket

Lancashire sign Pakistan star Mohammad Yousuf

01/05/2008

Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf has agreed a deal to join Lancashire as the English county side's registered overseas player.

The 33-year-old will be a stand-in at Old Trafford for Australian Brad Hodge, who is on duty for Indian Premier League (IPL) side Kolkata Knight Riders as a replacement for his international captain Ricky Ponting.

Ponting returned to Australia in order to begin preparations for the upcoming tour of West Indies, prompting a late bid from the Knight Riders franchise to sign Hodge.

Lancashire cricket manager Mike Watkinson said: "The decision to allow Brad to compete in the IPL happened quite suddenly and, as I said at the time, the club would only replace him if a top-quality player was available.

"We are delighted to have captured one of the world's leading batsmen and look forward to him making an immediate impact for the county."

Yousuf was named Wisden cricketer of the year in 2007 and is one of Pakistan's most experienced internationals, having played 79 Tests and 261 one-day matches.

On the decision to join Lancashire, Yousuf commented: "I've always wanted to play county cricket, and to get the opportunity with a club as big as Lancashire is fantastic.

"Old Trafford is somewhere I've enjoyed playing at during my international career and I'm determined to make a significant contribution to Lancashire's season."