FORMER Pakistan international Zafar Gohar has been signed by the Oval Invincibles for the upcoming edition of The Hundred. The left-arm spinner was one of 32 players selected in the Vitality Wildcard Draft, the final round of player recruitment for the tournament.
Gohar, 30, was born in Lahore and played one One-Day International for Pakistan against England in 2015 and a Test match against New Zealand in 2021.
He represented Gloucestershire as an overseas player between 2021 and 2024 before joining Middlesex ahead of the 2025 season as a local player, having obtained a British passport, a statement said.
Now eligible to play for England, Gohar will take part in The Hundred for the first time. The competition runs from August 5 to 31.
Gohar said his move to Middlesex and aim to qualify for England were motivated by opportunities in domestic cricket. “I have put myself forward for the drafts in previous years but hadn’t been picked up before, so to now have the chance to play in The Hundred is very exciting,” he said.
Gohar is one of two British Asian players selected in this year’s Wildcard Draft, alongside fast bowler Ajeet Singh Dale, who has been picked by Welsh Fire.
Six other British Asian players were selected in the main draft earlier this year, including Rehan Ahmed, Jafer Chohan, Mahika Gaur, Saqib Mahmood, Adil Rashid and Saif Zaib.
The Wildcard Draft offers opportunities to players who were not selected earlier, based on their performances in the Vitality Blast.
Notable signings in this year’s Wildcard Draft include England fast bowler James Anderson, selected by Manchester Originals, and Rocky Flintoff, who joins Northern Superchargers. Flintoff, 17, will play under the coaching of his father, Andrew Flintoff.
