5 Exciting battles fans will look forward to in an IPL v PSL clash

Pakistani cricketers – Shahid Afridi, Salman Butt, Kamran Akmal, Sohail Tanvir, Shoaib Malik, Muhammad Hafeez, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Asif, Misbah-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Umar Gul represented different IPL franchises during the first season of the Indian Premier League in 2008. Their performances left much to be desired with Sohail Tanvir emerging as the sole success story.

The wrong-footed left-arm bowler troubled the batsmen with his nagging accuracy and probing line eventually emerging as the first ever purple cap winner. However, after the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, franchises were advised to terminate or suspend contracts.

The PCB decided to come up with their own version of a T20 league called the PSL i.e. the Pakistan Super League in the year 2016 with the tournament conducted in the United Arab Emirates. There were reports that T20 cricketing clashes might be organized between franchises in the PSL and in the IPL. Let’s take a look at 5 player battles that will be extremely exciting to witness:

1. Shahid Afridi vs Virat Kohli

Shahid Afridi is one of the most exciting T20 cricketers out there and is arguably the best in Pakistan. The former Peshawar Zalmi captain has scored 3392 runs at an amazing strike rate of 155.16 which is pretty good considering his position in the batting order.

His highest score so far is 80 having smashed 256 boundaries and 182 sixes in the 235 matches he has been a part of so far. The Khyber born all-rounder is nicknamed “Boom-Boom Afridi” for his ability to hit massive sixes and attacking mindset from the first ball. His bowling is also extremely miserly and effectual with his leg break googlies and variations earning him 257 wickets at an economy rate of 6.63.

Virat Kohli, the current Indian T20 captain who is considered one of the most reliable batsmen out there will be the perfect man to compete with Afridi. 6513 runs in 209 matches at a batting average of 41.22 is no joke. 133 is the RCB captain’s current strike rate having scored 4 hundreds and 46 half centuries already. His aggression has helped him develop into a match winner for the Indian cricket team.

It will be necessary for Kohli to ensure that Afridi is unable to get into the groove by hitting him out of the park because Lala has the ability to run through batting orders if left unchecked.