Australia allrounder to join other high profile internationals in UAE-based Pakistan Super League
Watson signs up for Pakistan league
Shane Watson will play in the Pakistan Super League ahead of Australia's World T20 campaign.
Australia allrounder Watson, who has retired from Test cricket after being dropped during the Ashes series, has signed the PSL consent form to become a part of the draft process.
The player drafting is scheduled to take place in December this year with many top players set to take part, including former Australian Test players Brad Haddin, Brad Hodge and Shaun Tait.
READ: Haddin makes next career move
"I am very excited to be involved in the inaugural PSL," said Watson, who will be hoping to be a part of the Aaron Finch-led Australian team aiming to win their first World T20 in India next year.
"There are a lot of world class players involved so I can’t wait to be a part of it."
PSL Chairman Najam Sethi said the tournament's organisers are 'delighted' to have snared the services of a player who has amassed more than 4,000 T20 runs.
"He will definitely be a hot pick in the PSL draft," said Sethi.
The PSL tournament runs between February 4 to 24 and will be played in the United Arab Emirates, with matches in Dubai and Sharjah.
Those dates overlap with Australia's Qantas Tour of New Zealand where three Chappell-Hadlee ODIs and two Tests will be played.
Watson becomes the 152nd player from outside of Pakistan to sign up to play in the PSL, the group representing eight full members and five associate members of the ICC.
The Australian may lock horns again with Pakistan speedster Wahab Riaz after the pair's enthralling duel during the World Cup earlier this year.
WATCH: Riaz v Watto: A World Cup duel
Or perhaps the draft may see them play together as teammates.
Won't b difficult to guess if he is an Aussie player @najamsethi 😎. #GuessKernaMushkilNai #Abkhelkedikha
— Wahab Riaz (@WahabViki) October 12, 2015
The five yet-to-be-named PSL franchises will be able to draft four international players each.
Six West Indies players have nominated for the tournament – Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy Dwayne Bravo Dwayne Smith and Sunil Narine – with another four from Sri Lanka in Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Thisara Perera.
England's Kevin Pietersen, Luke Wright and Tim Bresnan have all nominated while New Zealand's Grant Elliott and Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan are also vying to be involved.
Coaches are also up for grabs in the PSL draft, with former Australia coach Mickey Arthur and ex-South Australia coach Darren Berry putting themselves forward. Melbourne Stars coach Stephen Fleming is another to nominate, as is Chaminda Vaas, Gordon Greenidge and Robin Singh.