Kolkata Knight Riders are set to recruit USA’s fast bowler Ali Khan as a replacement for the England pacer Harry Gurney.
Gurney is scheduled to undergo a shoulder surgery and pulled out of the IPL last month.
Khan, 29, will be the first USA player to feature in the IPL, according to ESPNCricinfo.
He was part of the Trinbago Knight Riders’ squad which remained unbeaten on way to their CPL title win on Thursday. Khan picked up eight wickets in as many matches at an economy rate of 7.43.
He was on KKR’s radar last season as well but no deal could be worked out.
The pacer, who can hit speeds in excess of 140kmph, burst on to the limelight during the 2018 Global T20 Canada, where he was spotted by star West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo, who brought him to the CPL. He had featured in the CPL All Star team that season.
Khan returned a haul of 16 wickets from 12 matches for Guyana Amazon Warriors that year.
Bravo posted an Instagram video with Khan, Brendon McCullum and a few more inside a plane with the caption ‘Next stop Dubai’.
Former Rajasthan Royals bowler Rusty Theron, who now plays for USA, was part of IPL 2010 and 2011.