UAE captain confirms being approached by two PSL franchises

Muhammad Waseem, the captain of the UAE cricket team, was approached by two franchises, Multan Sultans and Islamabad United, to participate in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), reported ESPN Cricinfo.

However, due to his commitments to the national team, he was unable to accept these offers. 

Waseem's cricket journey commenced on the streets of Multan, Pakistan, where he played with friends. Despite playing cricket at the district level in Pakistan, he felt constrained in terms of opportunities for advancement and decided to explore other avenues. His entry into UAE cricket was facilitated by a friend who invited him to participate in a tournament during Ramadan in 2016. Impressing in that tournament, he opted to relocate permanently.

Expressing his ambitions, Waseem revealed his desire to participate in major cricket leagues such as the Indian Premier League (IPL), PSL, and Caribbean Premier League (CPL). 

"I want to play in all the big leagues," he said in an interview with ESPN Cricinfo. 

However, he reiterated that his primary focus remains representing his country on the international stage.

"My target is three leagues: IPL, PSL and CPL. But the priority is to play for the country."

The 30-year-old batter became eligible to represent the UAE in April 2021 after meeting the ICC's residency requirement of three years. Soon after, he made his international debut against Namibia and made a remarkable impact in his fourth T20I match against Ireland, scoring 107 runs off just 62 balls, marking only the second T20I century by a UAE player.