PSL ‘is one of the Top Leagues in World’: Foreign Players laud Pakistan

[Asian.Century]

PSL 7 2022 Current Stats Overall:

 

[Asian.Century]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1493604219898802194

 

[Asian.Century]

 

[Asian.Century]

"This year’s visit to Pakistan has been a lot more special for me" : Chris Jordan​

Playing in the electric, beautiful city of Lahore is so much huge, enjoyable and highly competitive World Cricket league.​

There is very little doubt about the fact that the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has truly captured the imagination of Pakistani cricket followers and is now a well-established and highly respected event in the cricket calendar. In its fifth edition, the PSL has been given another boost to its credentials as one of the top Twenty20 leagues in the world after the decision to play all games in Pakistan.

PSL has become of the top most competitive and enduring leagues of the world. With money and fair competition is all what world cricket wants.

There may have been some reservations about the ability of the league to attract top-quality international talent with all games being played in Pakistan, but with the participation of the likes of Luke Ronchi, Dale Steyn, Moeen Ali, Alex Hales and Chris Jordan, all such fears have been put to rest.

In fact far from any apprehensions, the overseas players at PSL 5 have all embraced wholeheartedly the idea of playing in the country, and as Chris Jordan explained in an exclusive interview with PakPassion.net, the experience of playing in Pakistan has been an excellent one, “It’s been great visiting Pakistan for me so far. I was part of the Peshawar Zalmi squad last year and played two games in Karachi but this year’s visit to Pakistan has been a lot more special for me. I have visited different cities of this beautiful country which has been a refreshing and interesting experience.”


Sub-continental cricket pitches seem to have an unhealthy reputation for encouraging uneven contests. However, the playing surfaces in the Pakistan-based PSL seem to be bucking the trend. In fact, as Jordan describes it, the most redeeming feature of the PSL seems to be the quality of pitches which is leading to some excellent and competitive games.

“The pitches in the PSL have been very impressive as can be seen from the sort of good scores that have been a feature of the tournament. It’s not only for the spectators that such pitches are great as they provide great entertainment, but from a bowler’s point of view you get a little back when you put in the effort. To me these have simply been good cricket pitches where when you bowl well you get rewards and similarly, when you bat well, you get to score good runs. The pitches have provided great moments for spectators but obviously are a little favourable to the batting side but then that is always the case in Twenty20 cricket when batters slightly dominate as that makes for exciting games. In general, the pitches have been brilliant and as a bowler, I can say that such pitches challenge your skills and more than likely teach you how to bowl with more effectiveness.”

Apart from the quality of the competition, an attractive feature of the PSL is the manner in which the franchises have taken care of their overseas players which speaks volumes about the professionalism and attention to detail put in place by the management teams. Chris Jordan’s first stint with Karachi Kings has left the pacer with little doubt that the team has the sort of environment which makes the PSL experience very enjoyable, “Our backroom staff have a good mixture of great mentalities and interesting characters which is bringing out the best in each other. Add to that the fact that our planning has been brilliant and so far in the tournament, our execution of these plans has not been too far off the mark too and one can see that all is running really well in this franchise. The environment is quite fun to be around, and everyone is enjoying playing for the side which to me is the most important thing.”

To have the services of a legendary fast-bowler in the shape of Wasim Akram and an equally impressive Head Coach Dean Jones to help you attain your goals must be a dream come true for Jordan and it seems that the pacer is enjoying every minute of the experience, and wasting no time in learning from such distinguished personalities.

“Both Dean Jones and Wasim Akram have encouraged me to be myself and keep on playing my natural game, which is what I like to do, and I have taken a lot of confidence from that. As far as Wasim Bhai is concerned, he is a legend not only in cricket but even as a person as well which is something that has struck me the most about him. I have just enjoyed talking to him about bowling and some of his experiences as a cricketer. I have always said that from the time I knew I would be working with him that after these six weeks, that if there was even one thing from him that I could add to my game, then I would be more than grateful for that.”

The land of fast-bowlers is an often-used description of Pakistan and for a good reason too. From the great Imran Khan to Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, the country seems to have an endless supply of pacers. A glimpse of this talent has rightfully impressed Jordan and he is understandably excited by what he has seen so far in the PSL, “I said that on my first trip, and I will say it again that the standard of bowling in every team in the PSL are very high. Especially from a fast-bowling point of view, the current crop of pace-bowlers coming through in Pakistan is quite exciting and that is excellent news for Pakistan cricket. I also feel based on my own experience that being exposed to such high-pressure games and key moments will hold these young Pakistani bowlers in good stead going forward and for their international careers as well.”

And when it comes to some of the most exciting fast-bowling talents on display in the fifth edition of the PSL, the presence of youngsters such as Naseem Shah and Mohammad Hasnain is what impresses Jordan the most.

“The two young fast-bowlers from Quetta Gladiators, Naseem Shah and Mohammad Hasnain, have really impressed me with their pace and they seem to have a good rapport with each other and seem to be enjoying themselves on this stage. They have that fearless attitude about them and aren’t holding back when it comes to bowling. Pakistan is fortunate to have such bowlers and I do wish them all the best in their careers.”

Whilst T20 Leagues like the PSL have their own distinctive charm, cricket followers around the world are eagerly looking forward to the ICC T20 World Cup which will be played in Australia later this year.

India, Australia and South Africa along with Pakistan are considered some of the top teams to beat in this tournament but for Chris Jordan, it will be England after their heroics of the 2019 World Cup who stand more than a good chance of picking up their second major title in successive years, “We all know that England have made good strides in the recent past in the white-ball formats. The 2019 World Cup win has given them a lot of confidence and this is a team that likes to push the boundaries and try their all when they step onto the field.

Apart from the fine bowlers in the side, we have a batting line-up that most oppositions fear which is a great positive to take into the T20 World Cup. However, all that is great on paper but once the tournament starts, all teams start with a clean slate. As we all know in top-level cricket, any side can beat another on a given day so although we might be shaping up OK, we will start like all other teams in our first game. There is a lot of time between now and the start of the tournament and there is so much cricket to play, so in the meantime we will be taking it one day at a time and when we get to that bridge we will cross it, and I am sure we will give it our hundred percent when it’s time to play in the World Cup.”

 

[Asian.Century]

Here’s Why Adding More Teams Will Make PSL World’s Best T20 League​

By Saad Nasir | Published Feb 24, 2022 | 6:59 pm

The seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has entered its business end as Islamabad United, Peshawar Zalmi and Lahore Qalandars are vying for the spot to face Multan Sultans in the final of the tournament.

Over the seven seasons, PSL has grown leaps and bounds with the global viewership and interest gathering rapid pace season by season. The high standard of cricket and the top-notch production quality has always been the selling point of PSL, but the stadiums filled with fans in Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore this season has taken Pakistan’s premier T20 tournament to incredible heights.


While the tournament has been a success, there is still room for improvement to make it the top franchise T20 league in the world. One such way to improve the standard of the league even further is to increase the number of teams in the tournament. While the idea to increase the number of teams has been floating around for quite some time, it is high time that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) looks to add more teams in the next couple of seasons.

Let’s have a look at the reasons why PSL should increase the number of teams:

More Investment in Local Cricket​

The PSL has done wonders for the local cricketers in the country. Players such as Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, and many more have come up through the ranks and the inclusion of more teams will improve the opportunity at the grassroots level even further. The competitiveness between the teams on the field will force them to focus on local cricket and identify talented cricketers playing in the circuit.


It will also enable the franchises to improve the infrastructure and facilities in their areas of interest. All the franchises will look to broaden their scouting network and provide the best platform for talented youngsters to showcase their talents.

Some of the youngsters who have gone on to represent Pakistan after performing in PSL are as follows:

Shadab Khan	Hasan Ali	Haris Rauf	Asif Ali
Fakhar Zaman	Hussain Talat	Mohammad Nawaz	Ahsan Ali
Mohammad Wasim Jnr.	Haider Ali	Azam Khan	Shaheen Afridi
Rumman Raees	Arshad Iqbal	Musa Khan	Amad Butt

Enhance Quality of the League​

Additional teams will only improve the quality of the league. There are a lot of talented cricketers who do not get a chance to play in the PSL due to the obvious restrictions of the squad sizes. Additional teams will solve the issue as many deserving players will be picked and will be offered the perfect platform to prove their worth. This will also provide the opportunity to involve more foreign players in the league and with additional top cricketers from around the globe, the standard of cricket in the competition will improve further.


Pakistan is blessed with top top-class bowling talent in the country and this will enable the youngsters to learn more from the experienced cricketers and enhance their own game even further. Pakistan can maintain the same quality of cricket and have more teams unlike other cricket leagues around the world. This has been mentioned by many foreign batters who have played in various leagues around the world. PSL’s quality is because of the depth of bowling options here.

More Players From Domestic Circuit​

With the current six-team setup, there are a lot of talented domestic cricketers who get overlooked. Players such as Salman Ali Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Saud Shakeel, Kashif Bhatti, Aamer Jamal, Junaid Khan, and even Ahmed Shehzad were some of the top performers in the recently held National T20 Cup but they were unable to make it to the PSL due to the lack of available slots.


Additional teams will solve this problem as the top performers at the domestic circuit will get ample opportunities to prove their mettle and ultimately stake their claim on the national side.


Here are the stats of some of the top performers in the previous National T20 Cup:

Player	Matches	Runs	Average	Strike Rate
Ahmed Shehzad	11	344	31.27	128.35
Agha Salman	7	176	29.33	124.82
Tayyab Tahir	4	193	48.25	146.21

Player	Matches	Wickets	Average	Economy Rate
Kashif Bhatti	10	10	23.90	7.24
Junaid Khan	9	11	23.00	8.72
Aamer Jamal	4	5	29.60	10.44

Different Strategies and Innovation​

PSL is home to some of the best coaches and think tanks of T20 cricket in the world. Coaches such as Andy Flower, Peter Moores, Azhar Mahmood, James Foster are renowned for unique strategies that can help them win crucial matches. While the game itself is played with the bat and the ball, the team with the best strategy for crucial phases of the game usually comes out on top.


PSL is renowned for its use of data to come up with unique strategies and additional teams will not only bring new strategies to the game but will also help in increasing the competitiveness in the league. While Multan Sultans have been absolutely outstanding in the previous two PSL seasons, it is high time that someone challenges them properly.

More Money for Franchises​

PSL is a business and at the end of the day, the franchises want their business to increase exponentially and make more money. Additional teams might have hampered their progress a few seasons ago due to the limited number of funds in play in the league, but as the league grows and more teams become part of the ecosystem, it could prove to be a financial game-changer for the current franchises.

Additional teams will bring in more sponsors for the tournament and as the number of matches increases, the share of the teams will also increase.

More Matches More Fun​

PSL has been a major success ever since its inception seven years ago. Additional teams will not only bring financial success to the PCB and the PSL franchises, but it will also bring a lot of fanfare. The excitement of the fans is already at an all-time high and with the addition of more teams, it will enhance even further.

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What should be the names of new teams if PCB decides to add more franchises? Write down your suggestions in the comments section.

Here's Why Adding More Teams Will Make PSL World's Best T20 League

The seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has entered its business end as Islamabad United, Peshawar Zalmi and Lahore Qalandars are vying for

propakistani.pk

 

[Musings]

I think adding at least 2 teams would benefit the tournament - great idea

 

[WinterFangs]

I think adding at least 2 teams would benefit the tournament - great idea

I heard pcb wanted to add 2 more teams, but delayed it due to the fact the 6 current teams were not Getting any profits, and requested pcb not to add any since it would further increase their losses. However this was in 2019, psl has had alot more sponsorships since then, I think maybe 2023/2024 is when we will be seeing 2 more teams added.

 

[Musings]

I heard pcb wanted to add 2 more teams, but delayed it due to the fact the 6 current teams were not Getting any profits, and requested pcb not to add any since it would further increase their losses. However this was in 2019, psl has had alot more sponsorships since then, I think maybe 2023/2024 is when we will be seeing 2 more teams added.

Don’t be fooled bro.
Plenty of profits this year with the worldwide coverage and sponsorship- they want to stick to the 6 because they are being greedy. Logic way to go is increase it and allow more youngsters to break in and share some of the cake on the table. It’s a no brainer

 

[WinterFangs]

Don’t be fooled bro.
Plenty of profits this year with the worldwide coverage and sponsorship- they want to stick to the 6 because they are being greedy. Logic way to go is increase it and allow more youngsters to break in and share some of the cake on the table. It’s a no brainer

Of course, but yet again i said this was done towards the end of 2019. I do hope to see atleast 10 teams by 2026 hopefully. Imo the 4 should be, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, then these two would be controversial but I would love a hunza (GB) and Mirpur (Kashmir), to represent the northern areas.

 

[Musings]

Of course, but yet again i said this was done towards the end of 2019. I do hope to see atleast 10 teams by 2026 hopefully. Imo the 4 should be, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, then these two would be controversial but I would love a hunza (GB) and Mirpur (Kashmir), to represent the northern areas.

Kashmiri Killers sounds like a plan!!!

 

[WinterFangs]

Kashmiri Killers sounds like a plan!!!

Yep, but it’s based on cities hence why it won’t happen, Karachi kings name just flows well, hope other teams follow good naming systems