10 Pakistani players to watch out for in the PSL

The inaugural Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2016 begins on 4th February and provides an excellent opportunity for the Pakistani players to play alongside international stars and develop their own games. Playing in front of huge crowds in pressure situations will be an exceptional experience for the country’s younger players. Some of the established Pakistani players will also be looking forward to entertaining the fans. Here’s a look at 10 Pakistani stars to watch out for in this year’s PSL. 1. Umar Akmal (Lahore Qalandars): Umar Akmal. (Photo Source: AFP) Umar Akmal is part of a Lahore batting line-up that threatens to be among the PSL’s most explosive. He burst onto the international scene oozing class and drawing the highest praise from experts. In his first Test innings, against New Zealand in Dunedin against an attack which included Shane Bond and Daniel Vettori, the 19-year-old Umar scored 129 in an innings when no other specialist batsman touched 30. His fearlessness at the crease and his wide array of strokes has always had pundits gushing for superlatives. The right-hander has played 162 T20s scoring 3437 runs at an average of 28.88. 2. Saeed Ajmal (Islamabad United): Saeed Ajmal. (© Getty Images) The controversial off-spinner will be eagerly looking to make a mark in the PSL and earn a recall to the national side ahead of the World T20. The Pakistani bowler has huge success in the T20 format and was considered one of the finest exponents of spin bowling however in 2014 he was banned by the ICC because of an illegal bowling action. He worked on his bowling action, remodelled it and made an international comeback albeit an unsuccessful one. He has played 168 T20s taking 234 wickets at an average of 17.26. 3. Shoaib Malik (Karachi Kings): (Photo Source: CLT20/BCCI) The Pakistani all-rounder is yet another globetrotter who performs consistently well in all facets of the game. An electrifying fielder, a steady off-spinner and a fine top order batsman, Malik usually gets the job done for his team. He has been named the skipper of the Karachi outfit. Less flamboyant yet hugely effective, he has a fine temperament which helps him deliver the goods in demanding circumstances. He has played 216 T20s scoring 5621 runs and taken 107 wickets. With such an impressive record, the Kings must be surely delighted to have his services. 4. Yasir Shah (Lahore Qalandars): (Photo Source: Associated Press) The leggie is a big spinner of the ball and uses the flippers and googlies to great effect. The Pakistani is ranked 3rd in the ICC Test Bowler Rankings after a spectacular start to his international Test career. He quickly won a horde of admirers including Shane Warne, who praised his energy and shape on the ball, also his over spinner and patience, and proclaimed he would finish with more than 200 Test wickets. He has played 61 T20s and taken 51 wickets. He last played for Pakistan in a T20I in 2011 and will be eager to have a great PSL in order to make a comeback to the national side in the shortest format of the game. 5. Shahid Afridi (Peshawar Zalmi): Shahid Afridi. (© Getty Images) The Pakistan T20I captain is likely to lead the Peshawar outfit. He is one of the game’s biggest hitters and a mercurial character. His fast leg-breaks have proved highly effective in the shorter formats of the game. He has played in T20 leagues around the world and made a mark with consistent performances. A veteran of 193 T20s he has scored 2877 runs and picked up 214 wickets. ‘Boom Boom’ is indeed a superstar and a magnetic crowd-puller. Afridi will look to produce some entertaining performances for the fans in Bangladesh. 6. Sohail Tanvir (Karachi Kings): Sohail Tanvir. (Photo Source: AFP) Tanvir hasn’t been in the best of form and was even left out of a conditioning camp with the national team ahead of the T20 season. He managed to pick just one wicket at a bowling average of 110.0 for Sylhet Super Stars and scored 57 at 14.25 in the BPL. He will be eager to make a mark in the PSL and stay in contention for national selection. His wrong-footed action has caused batsmen a lot of problems. He also bowls occasional left arm orthodox spin, as demonstrated in his second career Test, against India at Kolkata. He has played 208 T20s taking 208 wickets at an average of 25.25. 7. Mohammad Amir (Karachi Kings): Mohammad Amir of Pakistan. (Photo by MARTY MELVILLE/AFP/Getty Images) Amir’s comeback to the international arena after serving a five-year spot-fixing ban has not been an easy one. Azhar Ali and Muhammad Hafeez threatened to boycott the training camp for the New Zealand tour if he was included in the squad, but later on, Azhar said both players ‘moved on’ from their differences. Amir made headlines in the BPL where he picked up 14 wickets from just 9 matches at an average of 12.64 and an economy rate of 5.46. He did reasonably well on the New Zealand tour. A match-winner on his day, Amir will spearhead the Kings in PSL. 8. Mohammad Hafeez (Peshawar Zalmi): Mohd Hafeez. (Photo Source: AFP) Hafeez will not be allowed to bowl in the PSL, after the league decided to follow the ICC standards on playing conditions. Even though the PSL is a domestic tournament, Hafeez, who is currently serving a 12-month bowling ban, cannot apply for a reassessment of his action until his suspension ends. It is his batting though that makes him a player to watch out for. He bats aggressively at the top of the order, but his organised technique also means he can switch to defensive mode if required. He has played 180 T20s scoring 3854 runs at an average of 24.39. 9. Wahab Riaz (Peshawar Zalmi) Wahab Riaz. (© Getty Images) The left-arm fast bowler has the pace to trouble the best. Wahab bowled that spell in the World Cup quarterfinal in Adelaide to make everyone watching sit up and take notice. His resurgence as a fast bowler, however, did not begin at the 2015 World Cup but during the Colombo Test in August 2014 when he took 6 for 164 in the match. On any given day Wahab’s aggression can be awesome when he channels it through his bouncers. He has played 100 T20s and taken 111 wickets at 22.18. 10. Ahmed Shehzad (Quetta Gladiators): Ahmed Shehzad. (Photo Source: AFP) Shehzad continued his long run of poor form in the New Zealand series. His last five outings making a terrible reading: 12, 13, 8, 9, 16, so much so that the great Wasim Akram said the batsman along with Sohaib Maqsood “have disappointed the nation a lot”. Thrashing opponent bowlers all around the ground has been Shehzad’s forte however such is his recent form that there are question marks about his place in the national side. Despite their off-field camaraderie, T20I captain Shahid Afridi recently said Shehzad really needed to ‘prove his worth’. PSL provides the talented batsman this chance. He has played 126 T20s scoring 3477 runs at an average of 29.21.

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10 Pakistani players to watch out for in the PSL

5. Shahid Afridi (Peshawar Zalmi):

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