Aamer Jamal joins Warwickshire for Championship, T20 Blast stint

Warwickshire have signed allrounder Aamer Jamal on a multi-format contract until the end of July, after he was left out of Pakistan’s ongoing T20I series against New Zealand.

Jamal announced himself to the world by taking 18 wickets in three matches in his maiden Test series for Pakistan in Australia late last year, and has also played six T20Is. He was part of a training camp at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul earlier this month, but does not appear to be part of their T20 World Cup plans after missing out on selection against New Zealand.

He will be available until the end of the T20 Blast group stages and has been named in Warwickshire’s 14-man County Championship squad to face Nottinghamshire at Edgbaston from Friday. “He’s jumping out of his skin to be on the park on Friday,” Gavin Larsen, Warwickshire’s performance director, said.

Mark Robinson, their coach, said he would make a late call on Jamal’s inclusion after he arrived in Birmingham on Thursday. “He’s raring to go. It’s fantastic he’s itching to get straight into action with us but he hasn’t played a competitive game for a few weeks, so we’ll see where he’s at and make a decision tomorrow.”

Larsen said: “He really captured the cricket world’s attention in Australia. He took the Aussies on with good pace, bounce, and a combative approach, all attributes you want in a fast bowler. Pat Cummins was named player of the series but you could have made a very strong argument for Jamal to have been awarded that title.”

Jamal joins his compatriot Hasan Ali in Warwickshire’s squad, who was also left out of the ongoing New Zealand series after being invited to Pakistan’s recent training camp. They will fill Warwickshire’s two permitted overseas spots until the end of July, while Hasan’s contract includes an option to extend into September.

Warwickshire will be without Moeen Ali, their T20 captain, for at least the first half of the Blast as he is expected to be named in England’s provisional T20 World Cup squad next week. The club said in January when Alex Davies was appointed club captain that a decision over the T20 captaincy would be made nearer the start of the Blast.

They have strengthened their T20 bowling attack significantly in the off-season with the additions of George Garton and Richard Gleeson, though Gleeson could yet miss the start of the Blast. He was recently signed by Chennai Super Kings as an injury replacement at the IPL, and they are on course to qualify for the play-offs which run until May 26, five days before Warwickshire’s opening match.

Sam Hain, who has missed the start of the Championship season due to personal reasons, played for Warwickshire’s 2nd XI but does not feature in their first-team squad this week. For Notts, Olly Stone – who left Warwickshire at the end of the 2022 season – is back in the squad after a groin injury and could play his first Championship game since May 2023.

Elsewhere, Sam Cook will lead Essex for the first time this week when they face Durham, with club captain Tom Westley on paternity leave. They have brought in Harry Duke on a short-term loan deal from Yorkshire with Adam Rossington and Michael Pepper both injured and Jordan Cox unable to keep wicket after breaking his finger during the Hundred last year.

Ollie Pope and Gus Atkinson are both in Surrey’s squad to face Hampshire at The Oval, though Ben Foakes has been rested by the ECB. In Division Two, Rehan Ahmed is back in Leicestershire’s squad after two weeks away on a pilgrimage, while Josh Hull – a tall left-arm seamer recently name-checked by Rob Key as an England prospect – returns from a side strain.