Islamabad United Sign Australia Star as Replacement for Laurie Evans in PSL 2026

Rawalpindi Pindiz have made a significant move by signing former Australian batter Usman Khawaja to fill in for England's Laurie Evans ahead of the 2026 Pakistan Super League (PSL). 

Evans is the latest overseas player to withdraw from the PSL at the last minute, joining Spencer Johnson and Dusan Shanaka, who both stepped back to take up IPL contracts as injury replacements. However, Rawalpindi Pindiz hasn't given an official reason for Evans' exit. 

Khawaja recently hung up his international boots after the 2025-26 Ashes series. The left-handed batsman played three matches in the Big Bash League after the Test series against England, amassing 108 runs with an impressive strike rate of 147.94. As captain of Brisbane Heat, the 39-year-old made a notable debut in the competition, scoring 78 runs off 48 balls against Sydney Thunder. 

Previously, Khawaja played a season in the PSL back in 2021, representing Islamabad United where he racked up 246 runs at a strike rate of 152.79. He even led his team to a century against Peshawar Zalmi, finishing with an unbeaten 105 off just 56 balls. 

Usman Khawaja Joins Squad as PSL 2026 Begins in Lahore and Karachi

Khawaja will be joining a squad that features other international players like Sam Billings, Daryl Mitchell, Dian Forrester, Rishad Hossain, and Cole McConchie, who stepped in for Jake Fraser-McGurk, another player who opted out of the tournament. 

While Khawaja isn't typically known for his T20 prowess, he has played over 120 matches in this fast-paced format, scoring 3,400 runs at a strike rate of 131.32, including three centuries. However, he has only played nine T20 internationals for Australia, with his last appearance dating back to 2016. 

The 2026 PSL season is set to kick off on Thursday, March 26, with the defending champions Lahore Qalandars facing off against the new franchise Hyderabad Kingsmen at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Due to ongoing tensions in the Middle East, this year's tournament will be held behind closed doors and at just two venues: Lahore and Karachi.