Thats a good news individually for the player himself as well as the cricket. After Pakistani players are denied IPL, the least they can get is English county cricket contracts.
Wahab Riaz joins Pietersen at Surrey | cricket.com.au
http://www.cricket.com.au/~/media/News/2015/04/09WahabRiazClap.ashx?mw=768
Wahab Riaz was a standout in Australia and New Zealand // Getty Images
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Wahab Riaz joins Pietersen at SurreyMazher Arshad, Lahore
Pakistan quick set to meet up with Kevin Pietersen in English county ranks
Two of Australia’s most polarising foes are set to join forces, with Pakistan fast bowler Wahab Riaz confirming he has signed on with English county side Surrey.
The man that terrorized the Australian batting lineup in the Cricket World Cup quarter-final will join the man who made a habit of dismantling the Australian bowling attack, Kevin Pietersen, at the historic club.
Pietersen is attempting to resurrect his international career following his sacking after England’s Ashes whitewash in Australia in 2013-14 and will play predominantly first-class cricket for the Division Two side in a bid to make himself available for national selection.
Riaz told circket.com.au that he too would be joining the Surrey ranks this English summer.
“As far as county cricket is concerned, I am going to play it again this year,” said Riaz, who suited up for Kent in 2011.
"At the moment I am having some visa issues but hopefully they will be sorted soon. I have signed with Surrey to play a couple of Twenty20 matches.
"As Pakistan will be busy playing in Bangladesh and then in Sri Lanka therefore my stint at Surrey will be very short.
“My priority is to play for the national team.”
As well as Pietersen, Riaz will join the top run-scorer from last year’s English domestic T20 competition Jason Roy.
Riaz speaking to cricket.com.au in Lahore // cricket.com.au
The firebrand left-armer also hasn’t ruled out a return to playing in front of Australian crowds as an international signing with the KFC T20 Big Bash League.
“If I get the offer from the Big Bash League I will surely try to avail it,” Riaz said.
"The T20 leagues such as BBL always increase your confidence level and improve your cricket.
“They help you in learning professionalism.”
Riaz also shed further light on why he was so fired up for the fearsome spell of fast bowling that light up the Pakistan-Australia World Cup quarter-final in Adelaide.
“It was a quarter-final and all of us really wanted to win it,” he said.
"In the previous games, our bowlers had successfully defended targets around 200 so I had this thing in mind that if I take wickets early I can put pressure on the opposition.
"When I was batting I had a minor exchange with Shane Watson and that’s why I was very pumped up when I got the chance to bowl at him.
“The initial exchange was with Mitchell Starc but Watson also passed some comments so I didn’t let go the opportunity to express myself when I was bowling to him.”
The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Cricket Australia.