Islamabad United have made a mid-season adjustment to their PSL 11 roster, bringing in Sri Lankan batter Pavan Rathnayake after Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee was ruled out of the remaining phase of the tournament.
The change was confirmed through the franchise’s official social media update, marking a notable shift in squad composition as the team continues its push in the competition. Rathnayake now steps in to complete the replacement role vacated by Airee.
Airee had originally been secured during the player draft earlier this year for a reported PKR 6 million. However, due to his restricted availability across the tournament window, his remuneration has been adjusted to 70 percent of the agreed contract value, leaving him with PKR 4.2 million.
The remaining portion of the slot value has been redirected to Rathnayake, who is set to experience his first appearance in the Pakistan Super League. The young Sri Lankan batter arrives with limited franchise exposure, having previously featured in domestic T20 leagues in Sri Lanka.
Despite his short T20 career, Rathnayake has already represented Sri Lanka in 12 international matches, scoring 266 runs at an impressive strike rate close to 147, including a couple of half-centuries that underline his attacking potential.
Alongside the squad change, Islamabad United have also updated their financial structure for the season. The franchise entered PSL 11 with a total budget of PKR 505 million, but the vast majority has already been committed, with nearly PKR 495 million allocated to player contracts.
This leaves only a small fraction of the purse available as the season progresses, reflecting the franchise’s aggressive investment strategy in building a high-performance squad.
At the top of the salary list stands all-rounder Faheem Ashraf with PKR 85 million, followed closely by captain Shadab Khan and Mark Chapman, each valued at PKR 70 million. New Zealand’s Devon Conway is also among the top earners with a deal worth PKR 63 million.
On the field, Islamabad United remain in strong contention, sitting second on the PSL 11 standings. The team has registered four wins from seven matches, alongside two defeats and one abandoned fixture, accumulating nine points with a healthy net run rate of 1.481.
Updated Islamabad United squad for PSL 11:
Shadab Khan (c), Salman Irshad, Andries Gous, Devon Conway, Faheem Ashraf, Mehran Mumtaz, Mark Chapman, Nisar Ahmed, Mir Hamza Sajjad, Sameen Gul, Sameer Minhas, Imad Wasim, Richard Gleeson, Haider Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Pavan Rathnayake, Mohammad Faiq, Mohsin Riaz, Chris Green and Mohammad Salman Mirza.
Read More: Billings Denies False Social Media Claims Amid PSL 11 Controversy
