Pakistani's who could rule over IPL

The 2018 season was IPL’s 11th season in all but 10th straight season as well where political reasons have excelled over cricket and Pakistanis weren’t allowed to take part in this prestigious brand of cricket. IPL first started in 2008 with more than eight Pakistanis blessed the league with their appearances and abilities. A left-arm medium pace bowler from Rawalpindi Sohail Tanvir with his awkward wrong-footed bowling action caught many of the best batsmen on their wrong-foot and ended up taking 22 wickets in the inaugural season – easily earning the Purple cap in IPL Season 1. His bowling figures 6/14 against the batting giants Chennai Super Kings are still the best for any bowler in any season of IPL. Who could forget the Misbah-ul-Haq assault to Rajat Bhatia in the final over of Bangalore’s innings where he hit him out of the park on four occasions or that Shoaib Akhtar’s furious spell against the Daredevils. Surely Pakistanis, with limited chances given to them in the IPL, have done everything to be remembered for a long time. Forget that politics has won over cricket for the 10th time in a row and Pakistanis are still not allowed to a part of the cricket’s annual festivities, here is a list of Pakistanis who could rule over the IPL: 1 – Wahab Riaz Pakistan’s Wahab Riaz. (Photo credit GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images) Rewind your memory to Pakistan’s world cup quarter-final against Australia, a young fearless bowler charging it in on Shane Watson. Ball after ball and over after over, this bowler kept bowling those odd bouncers and caught Watson many times attempting a fake defense or pull shot. Rewind further, Pakistan is in all sorts of trouble against Zimbabwe and this young bowler smashed 47 with a 100+ SR to take Pakistan to a respectable total and then takes four wickets to give his team their first victory of the world cup. Wahab Riaz has every talent to be a successful bowling all-rounder and be more successful at the IPL. 2 – Ahmed Shehzad (Photo by JEKESAI NJIKIZANA/AFP/Getty Images) A flamboyant opening batsman with a heart big enough to step out of the crease and hit the best bowlers out of the park, Ahmed Shehzad is Pakistan’s leading century maker in the shortest format. In domestic T20s, Ahmed Shehzad has played in 198 games and scored a 50+ score in 33 of them (including 3 hundreds). He averages 30 and hit long balls. Moreover he is a fabulous fielder and a good part-time leg spinner. He would definitely be an excellent addition to the IPL. 3 – Mohammad Hafeez Pakistan’s Mohammad Hafeez. (Photo by DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images) Since his re-inclusion to the Pakistan side in 2010, Mohammad Hafeez has been excellent both with the bat and the ball. Pakistan’s leading run-scorer in the shortest format is an opening batsman by trade but over the past few years he has shown that he is more suitable at one down position and can really launch his attack against any opposition. In just 240 T20 games, Hafeez has scored over 4000 runs and has taken 153 wickets. Moreover he has two hundreds and twenty-nine half-hundreds to his name. As a bowler, he is more lethal against the left-handers and surely teams facing Gayle, Warner, Miller or Raina would love to have him in their franchises. 4 – Sarfraz Ahmed Sarfraz’s attacking nature can surely earn him a place in any of the IPL’s XI. (© Getty Images) After nearly ten years of Akmal-brothers dominance in Pakistan cricket, Pakistan finally gave a chance to Sarfraz Ahmed and did he proved that he belonged at this level? Sarfraz Ahmed gained international recognition when he scored Test hundreds against Australia and then New Zealand and all of them at brisk rates. Later when give a chance in the T20s, Sarfraz Ahmed in his first ever game scored the highest individual score by a Pakistani wicket-keeper. Sarfraz’s attacking nature can surely earn him a place in any of the IPL’s XI. 5 – Shahid Afridi There isn’t a limited overs team that would not have Afridi in it. (Photo Source: AFP) There isn’t a limited overs team that would not have Afridi in it. Such is the magic and charisma of this ever so young player that he can win any match from any situation both with the bat and the ball. A fearless batsman who has the world record of Most Sixes and is currently the 4th highest wicket-taker in ODIs, Afridi is just ‘the’ thing you need in the IPL. In the T20 format, Shahid Afridi is Pakistan’s fourth highest run-scorer and the highest wicket-taker overall. Afridi as a batsman is the only one who has third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eight fastest half-century in ODIs and just on new year’s day 2014, Afridi’s record for the fastest ever ODI hundred was broken by Corey Anderson; a record he held for 18 long years. He may have taken his retirement from the ODIs but still there is a virtue in that; he can be available for the whole IPL season. I don’t think there is anyone in this world who can argue on why Afridi shouldn’t play in the IPL? 6 – Saeed Ajmal Saeed Ajmal has also the ‘Most Wickets’ by any spinner in the T20 format. (© Getty Images) The Magician is the 2nd highest wicket-taker in international cricket since making his debut in Asia Cup 2008 against arch-rivals India and also the all time leading wicket-taker in the international T20s. Saeed Ajmal has shown over the time in all the formats that he is a match-winner but in T20s especially, he is a special treat. His skill was on display during the 2009 T20 WC in England where bamboozled the batsmen with his off-spins and doosras, he finished the tournament as the joint second highest wicket taker with 12 wickets. He has every variety in his box to rattle any batsman against him and he has proved that whenever required. Saeed Ajmal has also the ‘Most Wickets’ by any spinner in the T20 format and surely IPL franchises will want the number one ranked spinner in their teams at any cost. 7 – Sohail Tanvir Sohail Tanvir ruled over the inaugural season of the IPL and earned the ‘Purple Cap’ with 22 wickets. (Photo Source: Twitter) It has been a long time since Sohail Tanvir ruled over the inaugural season of the IPL and earned the ‘Purple Cap’ with 22 wickets. Though a time has passed but he has still got it. Sohail Tanvir is currently the most sought after Pakistani medium-pacer in different brands of T20 leagues around the world which clearly proves the ability and cricketing sense of this experienced campaigner. Sohail Tanvir has taken 289 wickets in the shortest cricket format and can be a very handy batsman in the late middle order. His un-orthodox left arm pace bowling still creates a lot of confusion in the batsmen’s mind especially who have never faced him earlier in their careers and teams would surely love to exploit that aspect.

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Pakistani's who could rule over IPL

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