Sussex sign Gul for T20 competition

Sussex have signed Umar Gul, the Pakistan fast bowler, for this season's Friends Life T20 competition. Gul, who has the second-highest number of wickets in Twenty20 internationals, joins his countryman Rana Naved-ul-Hasan at the county.

Gul's 47 wickets in Twenty20 internationals have come at 16.00 and his figures of 5 for 6, against New Zealand at the Oval in 2009, remain the best by any bowler in a T20 international. He has been successful in England; during Pakistan's controversial tour in 2010, he was the leading wicket-taker in the five-match one-day series.

This could be the first time Gul takes part in the county season - he was signed by Gloucestershire in 2007 but didn't play because of an ankle injury. He has twice before played in Twenty20 competitions outside Pakistan - for Kolkata Knight Riders in the first edition of the IPL and for Western Australia in the 2008-09 Big Bash.

"Coming to Sussex is a privilege and the chance to follow in the footsteps of other Pakistani greats from Imran Khan to Mushtaq Ahmed, and to Rana Naved in the current team, is very exciting," Gul said.

Sussex won the domestic Twenty20 competition in England back in 2009, but lost in the quarter-finals last year.