Written by: Waseem Abbas
Posted on: February 14, 2023 | 
| 中文
Team captains
The eighth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) kicked off on the 13th of February with a high-voltage clash between the defending champions, Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans, the runners-ups of the last season. PSL is considered as the second most popular and lucrative cricket league in the world, only behind the Indian Premier League (IPL). The media rights of the PSL were sold for a whopping 4.35 billion rupees for the years 2022 and 2023, whereas the title sponsorship of the HBL PSL for the 2022-25 cycle is worth 22 million USD. The 2023 season of the PSL will have a total of 34 matches between six teams, with the final of the event scheduled for the 19th of March.
The opening ceremony of PSL 2023
All six teams have assembled squads covering all the bases as far as constituting a team is concerned, and the fans are expecting to be entertained by high-voltage games. The defending champions, Lahore Qalandars, have formed their team around the highest wicket-taker of the last PSL, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and the highest run-getter, Fakhar Zaman. Qalandars have arguably the best bowling line-up in the competition, heralded by their captain Shaheen. Other key bowlers for Qalandars include Harris Rauf, Zaman Khan and Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan. Batting looks to be the weaker aspect of Qalandars, in which they lack depth, barring the destructive trio of Fakhar, Harry Brook and Sam Billings. Their local depth is not that intimidating, whereas the full availability of their foreign players is not confirmed, which hampers their chances.
Shaheen Shah and Zaman Khan
Shadab Khan-led Islamabad United is known for its smart decisions based on the data about each player, and for unearthing new talents. This year they have exciting newcomers like Zeeshan Zameer, Abrar Ahmed, Mubassir Khan and Hasan Nawaz to complement the existing core of local and foreign superstars. United's batting is as explosive as it can get, with players like Hales, Munro, Russie V. Dussen, Asif Ali, Azam Khan, Sohaib Maqsood and Moeen Ali in their armor. Their bowling line has experience and skill, but on difficult pitches, players like Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Tom Curran and Tymal Mills are prone to conceding runs. United’s team management has done a great job in making a strong team, but now is the time for the players to perform on the ground.
Islamabad United
Multan Sultans has an ideal kind of batting lineup one usually makes in Fantasy Leagues, with anchors like Muhammad Rizwan and Shan Masood to open, and destructive global league trotters like Rilee Rossouw, David Miller, Tim David, Kieron Pollard, Khushdil Shah to follow. Their bowlers are either too inexperienced or consist of all-rounders, which could be a problem in taking wickets and stopping the flow of runs. It is the kind of team that could concede 200 on any given day, but also has the capability to chase it afterwards.
Multan Sultans in the first game of PSL 2023
Quetta Gladiators failed to qualify for the second round last season, but their squad looks more balanced this year. Sarfraz's team has in-form local players like Iftikhar Ahmed, Muhammad Nawaz, and Naseem Shah, while the likes of Jason Roy, Odean Smith, Wanindu Hasaranga and Will jacks add firepower to Quetta's lineup. Iftikhar scored 351 runs at a strike rate of 157.39 in the recently concluded Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), before smashing Wahab Riaz for six sixes in an over in a festival game between Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators. “Ifti-Mania” will be crucial for the Gladiators, along with bowling spearheaded by Naseem Shah, who has grabbed 40 wickets in 32 games since 2022, at an average of 22. His economy rate of 8.52 in the death overs is fifth best in the world in that period.
Quetta Gladiators
Peshawar Zalmi has abdicated Wahab Riaz of the leadership role and appointed national team captain, Babar Azam, their new skipper. His services were acquired by trading Shoaib Malik and Haider Ali to Karachi Kings. Peshawar Zalmi has firepower in their lineup, with explosive hard-hitters Muhammad Harris, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Sherfane Rutherford, Jimmy Neesham, Rowmen Powell, while the lack of premium fast bowlers is an area of concern for the Zalmi. The only team to have never been knocked out in the first round of the PSL, Babar and company has the challenge to maintain the team's record.
Peshawar Zalmi's Muhammad Harris
Karachi Kings has handed the captaincy to Imad Wasim after Babar was traded to Zalmi. Kings have explosive openers like Haider Ali and Sharjeel Khan, who can demolish bowling lineups, whereas experienced players like James Vince and Shoaib Malik can accumulate runs in the middle overs with Matthew Wade and Ben Cutting taking on the role of finishers. Kings have a decent bowling lineup, neither too intimidating nor too mediocre, which can do the needful. Young Qasim Akram and Tayyab Tahir can be handy with the bat, if given the opportunity.
Haider Ali and Qasim Akram
PSL has been the primary nursery to groom the upcoming cricketing talent in Pakistan since its inception in 2016. PSL has produced and groomed players like Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah, Harris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Fakhar Zaman amongst others, who are now the backbone of Pakistan cricket. This season, many uncapped players can knock on the doors of the national selectors, if given the opportunity. Peshawar Zalmi’s Saim Ayub, Lahore Qalandars’ Zaman Khan, Islamabad United’s Zeeshan Zameer, Karachi Kings’ Qasim Akram and Tayyab Tahir are the players to watch out for. The Karachi-born 20-years old southpaw Saim has accumulated 416 runs at the strike rate of 155 in the National T20 Cup, and 461 runs at the strike rate of 107 in the Pakistan Cup. PSL 2023 could be his door to the national team. Zeeshan is a ‘sexy fast bowler’ (in Rahul Dravid’s words), and a glimpse of his thunderbolts have been seen in the last PSL. Qasim and Tayyab have performed remarkably in the last couple of domestic seasons, and will be geared to perform in the PSL to claim a spot in the national team.
Saim Ayub and Qasim Akram, emerging players to watch out for in this year's PSL
PSL is a welcome distraction for the people of Pakistan and a source of joy in these gloomy times. It has played a crucial role in bringing international cricket back, and has nurtured emerging talents into world-class players. This year, however, many international players are only partially available due to their other commitments, which should not be the case in a league of PSL’s pedigree. Moreover, the hype over PSL is nowhere to be seen, it looks as if it has drowned under many T20 leagues. Many exciting games are in line, especially the matches between the Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi will be crucial, because Kings’ captain, Imad’s subtle digs at Zalmi’s captain, Babar, has initiated a new rivalry, the E-Classico of PSL. Hope that the HBL PSL this year is a cracker of a tournament and entertains cricket fans around the world.
Babar, Amir and Imad in Karachi Kings’ jersey
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