A promising all-rounder with roots in Pakistan cricket is turning heads in the USA and across T20 leagues.
Hassan Khan was once seen as one of the brightest young prospects in Pakistan cricket. The left-arm spinner represented Pakistan in the 2016 ICC U19 World Cup, playing alongside now-established stars like Shadab Khan. He later featured in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) for Lahore Qalandars and Quetta Gladiators, showcasing his skills as a handy spin option with lower-order power-hitting ability.
However, his professional journey has taken a different turn in recent years. Hassan moved to the United States and is now part of their domestic cricket setup, aiming to qualify for the national team. The 26-year-old is currently ineligible to play for USA at the international level but is building his reputation through strong T20 performances in leagues around the world.
Hassan Khan’s rise has caught the attention of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) management, especially due to his bowling style and role versatility. The Abu Dhabi Knight Riders – KKR’s sister franchise in the ILT20 – signed him for the 2025 season. Although he didn’t get a game, Hassan trained with T20 great Sunil Narine in the nets and was immersed in KKR’s spin-heavy philosophy.
This is not a one-off. KKR and its affiliated franchises have a clear history of investing in unconventional spinners: Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Suyash Sharma, and most recently, Shivam Shukla in IPL 2025. Hassan, with his subtle variations and power-hitting, fits that mold. While he’s not part of the IPL yet, this behind-the-scenes grooming suggests KKR may have long-term plans for him.
Hassan was one of the standout performers in the 2025 edition of Major League Cricket (MLC), playing for San Francisco Unicorns. In 11 games, he picked up 12 wickets at an economy rate of 9.57, finishing as the ninth-highest wicket-taker in the tournament.
What made him even more valuable was his contribution with the bat. Batting in the lower middle-order, Hassan smashed 225 runs at a strike rate of 187.5 – the fifth-best strike rate in the competition – and hit 17 sixes in just 120 balls faced. His all-round impact made him one of the most exciting players in the MLC, underlining his growing value in the T20 franchise circuit.
He also featured for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the 2024 Global Super League, continuing his association with the CPL franchise where he also played in 2024. He was also drafted in the BBL 2025-26 draft by Melbourne Renegades alongside Mohammad Rizwan and Tim Seifert.
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As of now, no. Hassan Khan cannot enter the IPL auction in 2026 due to BCCI’s rules barring Pakistan players from participating in the league. While he is on track to qualify to play for the USA national team in 2026, he still needs to become a US citizen to be eligible for IPL participation as an overseas player.
Until then, IPL franchises can only track his progress and continue to mentor him through their other franchise links. But if and when he becomes eligible, Hassan Khan could be a serious contender to follow in the footsteps of mystery spinners like Narine and Varun Chakravarthy.
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