Notts tie down Mohammad Ali for all formats including T20 Blast

Original deal: Pakistan seamer Mohammad Ali was signed by Nottinghamshire for August and September 2026 only, covering County Championship and One Day Cup.Extension: Notts have extended the deal to include the full 2026 Vitality Blast campaign. He’ll now be available for the entire T20 season starting Friday, May 22 vs Yorkshire at Trent Bridge. The right-armer has been capped by Pakistan eight times across formats, most recently in March 2025. He arrives at Trent Bridge on the back of a successful PSL season with Hyderabad Kingsmen, where his 20 wickets helped the new franchise reach the final - and earned him a spot in ESPNcricinfo's team of the tournament. Siddle replacement: The extension came after Australia’s Peter Siddle was banned from the T20 Blast for playing in the “disapproved” World Legends Pro T20 League in Goa. Last-minute rethink: Notts were “forced into a last-minute rethink” of Blast plans. Head coach Peter Moores said: “When it became clear last month that we’d have to find another overseas player... Mohammad was the obvious choice”. "I have heard a lot about how good Trent Bridge is to play at, and I can't wait to meet the team and play in front of the brilliant fans. I think we have a really good squad this year and I am excited to play with them and hopefully go really far in this competition." Age/Caps: 33-year-old right-arm seamer, capped 8 times for Pakistan across formats, most recently March 2025. Recent form: Arrives after a “successful PSL season” with Hyderabad Kingsmen. Took 20 wickets, 2nd-highest in PSL 2026, helped new franchise reach the final, and made team of the tournament. Worked with Notts assistant Paul Franks at Central Punjab in 2022-23. Bottom line: What started as a late-season red-ball/50-over deal is now a full summer stay. Ali’s PSL form + prior link with coach Franks made him the go-to replacement after Siddle’s ban, and he’ll be in Notts colours from Blast opening day. Fulton added: "I know Matt well from my time in New Zealand, coaching him at Canterbury for the past four seasons. He is a tall left-hander with a career T20 strike rate of over 150 and will add power to our top order. I have no doubt we will see Matt playing international cricket for New Zealand in the future, and I am looking forward to seeing him make a name for himself at Middlesex."