44-Year-Old CSK star to replace Ambati Rayudu in Texas Super Kings for inaugural MLC 2023

The Texas Super Kings have assembled a star-studded squad for the inaugural season, including players like Devon Conway, David Miller, Dwayne Bravo, Daniel Sams, and Mitchell Santner. The franchise started the inaugural edition of the Major League Cricket (MLC) with a bang as it defeated the Los Angeles Knight Riders by a huge margin of 69 runs. 

3 things you need to know

• The inaugural edition of the Major League Cricket kickstarted in the US on July 13
• Texas Super Kings won its opening match against Los Angeles Knight Riders 
• TSK are currently ranked No. 1 on the MLC points table

Also Read: MLC 2023: Major League Cricket Full Schedule, List Of Matches, Date, Time, Venue

Imran Tahir, the former South Africa wrist spinner, has joined the Texas Super Kings for the first season of Major League Cricket. The team is being led by former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, who, like Tahir, has also represented the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League.

Tahir was a part of the Chennai Super Kings from 2018 to 2021 and played a significant role in their victorious campaigns in 2018 and 2021. In the 2019 season, he emerged as the leading wicket-taker and won the prestigious Purple Cap, taking 26 wickets in 17 matches at an average of 16.57 and an economy rate of 6.69.

The Texas Super Kings shared the exciting news on Twitter, accompanied by a special video to welcome Tahir to the team. "Imran Tahir in yellow, again!" the MLC franchise wrote on their Twitter handle.

Also Read: Amidst Speculations Of 'cooling-off" Period, Ambati Rayudu Withdraws From MLC 2023

Tahir's signing comes after Ambati Rayudu, the former Indian and Chennai Super Kings batsman, withdrew from the tournament due to personal reasons. Rayudu's decision was influenced by the latest policy of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which requires retired players to serve a one-year cooling-off period before participating in foreign leagues.

Rayudu recently retired from all forms of Indian cricket after the final of IPL 2023, where his crucial cameo of 19 off 8 balls helped CSK defeat the Gujarat Titans by five wickets. Initially, he was set to play in the MLC 2023 but withdrew just before the start of the tournament.

Image: MLC