Defending champions Kerala Kings net explosive batsman Gayle

dubai — Defending champions Kerala Kings picked West Indian power-hitter Chris Gayle during the T10 League players’ draft, which went on late into Monday night at the V Hotel in Habtoor City.

Former Pakistan opening batsman Imran Nazir, who has been in literal hibernation, got a lifeline when he was picked by the defending champions to possibly form the opening pair with Gayle.

Eight teams — Kerala Kings, Punjab Legends, Maratha Arabians, Bengal Tigers, The Karachians, Rajputs, Northern Warriors and Pakhtoons — have been drawn into two groups to fight it out in the second season of the T10 League which gets underway at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium from November 23 to December 2.

Kerala Kings have also picked up Junaid Khan, Sandeep Lamichhane, Tom Curran, Fabian Allen, Niroshan Dickwella and Benny Howell.

Last year’s runners-up Punjabi Legends went with Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett, Luke Ronchi, Muhammad Sami, Zahir Khan, Umar Akmal, Mitchell McClenaghan, Tom Moores, Anwar Ali, Jade Dernbach and Hassan Khan.

Among the newcomers, Northern Warriors chose Ravi Bopara, Rovman Powell, Harry Gurney, Chris Green, Obed McCoy, Lendl Simmons, Kharry Pierre and Kennar Lewis from the draft to be added to Dwayne Smith and Nicholas Pooran.

Another new team, the Karachians opted for Jofra Archer, Thisara Perera, Ben Cutting, Muhammad Nawaz, David Malan, Fawad Ahmed, Isuru Udana, Joe Clarke, Samiullah Shenwari and Muhammed Irfan Jr.

Meanwhile, Bengal Tigers picked Morne Morkel, Aamir Yamin, Mohammed Nabi, Kusal Perera, Sherfane Rutherford, Kevon Cooper, Dan Christian, Ali Khan and Rayad Emrit from the draft while Jason Roy, Sam Billings and Asif Ali were roped in by the Tigers earlier.

Maratha Arabians, led by Afghan sensation Rashid Khan, have gone for Alex Hales, Kamran Akmal, James Faulkner, Lasith Malinga, James Vince, Liam Livingstone, Brendan Taylor, Adam Lyth, Roelof Van Der Merwe, Najibullah Zadran and Richard Gleeson.

Pakhtoons picked up Liam Dawson, Mohammed Irfan, David Willy, Colin Munroe, Andre Fletcher, Sohail Khan, Sharfuddin Ashraf, Chadwick Walton, Shahpur Zadran, Cameron Delport and Gulbadin Naib.

Rajputs chose Mohammed Hafeez, Rilee Rossouw, Mohammed Shahzad, Tymal Mills, Carlos Brathwaite, Rahat Ali, Samit Patel, Qais Ahmad, Ben Dunks, Peter Trego and Shan Masood.