Derbyshire bolster T20 ranks with the signing of Pakistani seamer

Wahab Riaz's signing was revealed by the county on Wednesday, with Riaz available for the first 10 matches of the campaign, subject to approval

^{Derbyshire have signed Wahab Riaz for the T20 Blast}

Wahab Riaz will play for Derbyshire in this year's T20 Blast.

The Pakistani bowler's signing was revealed by the county on Wednesday, with Riaz available for the first 10 matches of the campaign, subject to approval.

His first game is likely to be the season opener against Lancashire Lightning at Derby on July 6, and he will leave for a stint in the Caribbean Premier League with Barbados Tridents after the clash with Birmingham Bears on August 3.

"I’m really excited to be joining Derbyshire for the Vitality Blast. They had a terrific 2017 campaign and from what I’ve heard they want to progress further this year," Riaz said.

^{Riaz has taken 197 T20 wickets}

"I hope I can play my part in a successful side and use my experience to help the squad in any way I can."

The seamer is no stranger to county cricket, having played for Surrey, Essex and Kent during previous stints in the UK.

He boasts a T20 economy rate of 7.1 runs per over and has claimed 197 wickets in the format across all competitions over the course of his career.

"Wahab is a quick and highly-skilled fast bowler who will bring a wealth of experience to our Vitality Blast campaign," Derbyshire cricket advisor Kim Barnett said.

"He has played in some of the biggest competitions in the world and represented Pakistan at the highest level.

"We wanted to bring in a proven bowler who can complement the crop of talented bowlers we already have and we’re delighted to secure Wahab for the first 10 games this summer."

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