Andre Russell, Shimron Hetmyer and the new recruits brought in for PSL 2021 - in pictures

Rescheduled season to be completed in Abu Dhabi this month

1. Andre Russell (Quetta Gladiators). The Jamaican powerhouse is no stranger to the big leagues – nor Abu Dhabi, where he was based with Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2020 IPL. Sportzpics

2. Shimron Hetmyer (Multan Sultans). The Guyanese left-hander actually replaced a replacement. He was swapped in for Mahmudullah at the most recent replacement player draft. Sportzpics for BCCI

3. Mohammed Wasim (Multan Sultans). Another new recruit for Multan. The batsman has yet to play international cricket for UAE, but caught the eye in the Abu Dhabi T10 during the winter. Chris Whiteoak / The National

4. Usman Khawaja (Islamabad United). The Australia left-hander will be representing the city of his birth, having been brought in to cover the loss of England batsman Alex Hales. Sportzpics

5. Tim David (Lahore Qalandars). A last minute call up to replace Joe Burns, David has a T20 strike rate of 154.07 – and experience of UAE conditions. He played here for Singapore in the 2019 T20 World Cup Qualifier. Getty Images

6. Martin Guptill (Karachi Kings). While his compatriots are playing in the World Test Championship in the UK, the Kiwi opener will be getting some valuable T20 game time in ahead of the World Cup later this year. Sportzpics

7. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Multan Sultans). Another Multan recruit who has good knowledge of the local conditions. The Afghan made a hundred on his ODI debut in Abu Dhabi at the start of this year. AFP

8. Fidel Edwards (Peshawar Zalmi), Peshawar lost this season’s leading wicket-taker when Saqib Mahmood was ruled out by the date change. In comes a West Indies quick who starred in the Abu Dhabi T10. Reuters

9. Blessing Muzarabani (Multan Sultans). The towering Zimbabwe quick is the latest of the late call ups. His signing was announced while the players were already in Abu Dhabi quarantining. AFP

10. Sultan Ahmed (Lahore Qalandars). Big boots to fill, having been drafted in to bowl the overs of the unavailable Shakib Al Hasan. But the UAE spinner has shown he can cope, having excelled for Lahore in the T10. Chris Whiteoak / The National

11. Zahir Khan (Quetta Gladiators) The left-arm wrist spinner from Afghanistan was brought in during the most recent mini draft, as a replacement for Australian allrounder Ben Cutting. Getty Images

12. Rovman Powell (Peshawar Zalmi) Powell was one of three West Indians to have been recruited by Peshawar since the league was suspended – along with Edwards and Fabian Allen. AFP

The three-month, Covid-enforced break in the PSL season has brought with it a raft of changes.

When the league was suspended in March, then rescheduled for this month in Abu Dhabi, it rendered a variety of its overseas players unavailable.

The team’s recruitment managers had to get busy scouring the globe for reinforcements. They found a few high-profile stars keen to get involved, as well as some lesser-known talent awaiting them on arrival in UAE. Here is a list of some of the outstanding new recruits.