The trio were among 14 other cricketers who lost their jobs while United Bank entrenched no less 2,500 of its employees last year.

Redco, founded by Senator Saifur Rahman, will participate in the Grade-II event which serves as qualifying tournament for the first-class competition.

Redco, it is learnt, has also contacted other leading cricketers to join them on permanent basis. But so far, only the sacked United Bank cricketers have shown interest. But three leading Karachi players Ahmad Zeeshan Malik, Ahmar Saeed and Naumanullah - have joined the new side.

Redco was awarded playing rights earlier this year along with Sui Gas and NDFC by the executive council of the cricket board.

Redco, Sui Gas and NDFC have been placed along side Pakistan Railways, Servis, University Grants Commission and Pakistan Air Force in the seven-team event to be played on single league.

The winners would join the nine teams in the Patron's Trophy Grade-I as the Domestic Tournament Monitoring Committee (DTMC) is considering to raise the tally of departments to 10, the same number as of associations in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Grade-I.

Meanwhile, House Building Finance Corporation (HBFC), who played first-class cricket and were now taking part in the Grade-II event, have pulled the shutters down on their cricket team. They are the fourth notable department to close their cricket team.

Others are Pakistan Steel, Muslim Commercial Bank and Pakistan PWD.