Vitality Blast overseas player availability

Sussex Sharks will be without Rashid Khan for this year’s Vitality Blast, but hope to welcome David Wiese back to The 1st Central County Ground in time for our opening match against Surrey.

Khan was signed to play for the Sharks for the entirety of the group stage, but with the competition’s start now pushed back until the end of August, our schedule clashes with the leg-spinner’s Caribbean Premier League and Indian Premier League involvement.

Sussex Cricket would like to wish Rashid, who is playing for Barbados Tridents in the CPL and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, all the best going into both tournaments.

The Sharks will however be bolstered by the return of Wiese, who was the second highest run-scorer for Luke Wright’s side in last year’s Blast.

Wiese has missed the start of the Bob Willis Trophy after issues with South Africa’s visa system, but that has now been rectified and he should be back in the UK before August 28.

Meanwhile, fellow South African, Stiaan van Zyl will remain absent for the duration of the 2020 season, before returning to Hove next summer, while Travis Head will also wait until 2021 before making his Sussex debut.