Pakistan top-order batsman Azhar Ali has signed for Somerset to feature in the remaining first-class English County Championship in this season.

It will be the first English County cricket appearance for the 33-year-old Azhar Ali. He is the replacement of Australian top-order batsman Matt Renshaw who has been ruled out from the remaining County season due to suffering a broken finger. Before his injury, Renshaw scored a total of 513 runs in 11 innings with the average of 51.30 and also had three-century knocks.

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The right-handed batsman said, “The standard of first-class cricket in England is very high and I hope that I can make a contribution to Somerset winning matches. I have heard good things about Somerset and I was impressed by what I saw at Taunton in 2016 (when Pakistan opened their tour of England that year against the county). I am looking forward to joining my new team mates and meeting the Somerset supporters soon.”

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Making his international cricket debut in 2010, Azhar Ali has played 65 Tests and 53 ODIs where he has scored 5,202 runs and 1,845 runs respectively. Ali was the fourth Pakistan batsman to score a triple-century in a Test innings when he scored 302* against West Indies in a day/night Test at Dubai (DSC) in October 2016.

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Apart from being the first centurion in the day/night Test cricket history, Azhar is the highest individual runs scorer in a day/night Test innings.

Somerset is very hopeful with Azhar as they believe that his experience will be valuable for their top-order batting in the remaining first-class season.

Somerset’s director of cricket, Andy Hurry said, “Finding the right fit at short notice can be challenging, however we are delighted to have secured a player of Azhar Ali’s character, pedigree and class for the remaining seven Specsavers County Championship matches.

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“His experience at the top of the order will prove to be hugely valuable at the business end of the season. I have spoken to him several times over the last few weeks and he is very keen to share his knowledge of the game with our aspirational players, so the influence he can have within the changing room will also be vital for us as a club.”