After an outstanding performance for Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League, scoring two centuries and 430 runs, Usman Khan has earned a spot in the Pakistan Cricket Board’s fitness camp at Kakul. His prolific run-scoring in PSL 9 caught the attention of national team selectors.
As per sources, Usman has written a notice to the Emirates Cricket Board to terminate his central contract after legally consulting the PCB. This signals that he wants to make a name for himself in Pakistani cricket.
After making his debut for Karachi Whites in 2017, scoring 0, 8, 9, and 22 runs in his first four first-class innings, Usman moved to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) seeking better opportunities. There, he was awarded a retainer contract by the Emirates Cricket Board and would have become eligible to play for the UAE national team starting next June.
In 2023, he represented the Gulf Giants in the ILT20 League as a local player, despite holding a Pakistani passport. He participated as a local player by the Indian-owned franchise in order to participate, for which he received compensation of $50,000 (approximately 14 million rupees).
After participating in the Pakistan Super League as a foreign player with permission from the Emirates Cricket Board, Usman stayed in Pakistan following the final instead of returning to Dubai as originally planned. He regularly kept in touch with the PCB. A key member of Multan Sultans played a crucial part in settling his affairs. Usman has since notified the ECB of his intent to terminate his contract.
The 28-year-old could be banned from participating in UAE leagues. However, after initially stating in a recent interview that he would not play for Pakistan, Usman received assurances from someone in Pakistan that he will be selected for the series against New Zealand and the upcoming T20 World Cup squad. As a result, Usman has ended his association with UAE cricket and is now focused on representing Pakistan again.