SYDNEY, Dec 22: Pakistan paceman Umar Gul will play with the Western (Australia) Warriors in the 2008-09 domestic Twenty20 Big Bash competition, the Western Australian Cricket Association said on Monday.

Umar, 24, was one of the stars of the Pakistan team that reached the final of the inaugural World Twenty20 Championship in South Africa last year and also played for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2008 Indian Premier League.

Umar has an outstanding record in the Twenty20 format, with 20 wickets in 13 international matches at an average of 12.20 and economy rate of 5.11.

He also has 46 wickets in 29 domestic Twenty20 matches at an average of 14.52 and economy rate of 6.25.

Western Warriors coach Tom Moody said that having an international cricketer of Umar’s talent in his squad would assist the team’s goal of reaching the Twenty20 Big Bash final.

“The importance of the Big Bash competition has risen considerably in the past two seasons with places in the ICC Champions League Twenty20 tournament up for grabs,” Moody said in a statement.

“Every team has to make sure that they have the right personnel on board in their quest to be successful.

“Having Umar in our ranks, who is without doubt an excellent Twenty20 performer, is very timely given the unfortunate run we have recently experienced with injury and form.”

WACA chief executive Graeme Wood said that, having missed out at the recently cancelled first Champions League Twenty20 in India, Western Warriors were determined to qualify for the inaugural tournament in October 2009.

Umar is expected to arrive here on Wednesday.—AFP