The Pakistan Super League arrives in style

The PSL Players Draft stage concludes with some interesting picks made by the particpating franchises.

By Abdul Haseeb (22nd December, 2015)

There should really be no hesitation in saying that Pakistan Super League (PSL) is going to be a revolutionary phenomenon in the history of Pakistan cricket. It is going to provide financial assistance for the board; but also something even more cheerful for all of the fans. The league itself got delayed many times initially during the tenure of Zaka Ashraf, and to everyone it seemed like that the league was never going to begin – but that was in the past. The PSL is now a reality and something all Pakistan fans can be proud of.

A significant milestone was reached with the holding of the PSL Players Draft on the 21st and 22nd of the December. Apart from a few logistical issues which are not uncommon in these parts of the world, the whole process seem to go through very smoothly. If there was one criticism, it was the fact that players like some top notch players like Kumar Sangakkara and Abdul Razzaq were overlooked for the higher ranked rounds.

PSL Team : Lahore Qalandars

In terms of the actual choices made by teams, it wouldn't be unfair to say that the Lahore Qalandars probably got the best deal closely followed by Karachi Kings, with the others seems to be lagging behind.

To start with Lahore Qalandars got one of the most sought after signing in the shape of Chris Gayle who is an explosive batsman in the shortest format of the game. They also got some more firepower with the addition of Dwayne Bravo, Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood, Kevon Cooper and Mukhtar Ahmed; just what the doctor ordered for this format. However, much to the surprise of many, Lahore also picked Azhar Ali who is not known as a good hitter of the ball, but then again, it would have been a bit strange to initiate a league without one of the national team's captain. One can only hope that Azhar Ali can surprise everyone so there's a chance that it can turn out to be a good move.

In the bowler's category for the Lahore team, they aren't too many big names but the one most fans will be looking forward to would watching would be Zafar Gohar. The management also decided to pick Adnan Rasool who is considerably old now and was called out for a suspect bowling action – a better move would have been to invest on someone younger.

Lahore Qalandars also picked Hammad Azam – who seems like a very decent choice to fill an all-rounder's spot. However, Abdul Razzaq who is probably past his best now as he played his last international game a long time ago, should still be good enough to mentor some youngsters.

PSL Team : Karachi Kings

Moving on to the Karachi Kings, the management choosing Shoaib Malik could be considered a masterstroke considering how good his record is as a captain in domestic cricket; he has led Sialkot Stallions to some titles and is a very good cricketing brain within the country.

With the acquisition of good batsmen such as Nauman Anwar, Mushfiqur Rahim, Tillakaratne Dilshan and with Shoaib Malik the batting department looks very strong. Nauman Anwar, in particular, maybe inexperienced but he is a clean striker of the ball and has a wide variety of shots as everyone who followed his form in the previous edition of the Faysal Bank Tournament would know well.

The bowling strength of the Karachi side has been bolstered by addition of Mohammad Amir – probably the hottest pick and the one everyone was looking forward to. He already has taken a few wickets in First-Class cricket and in the Bangladesh Premier; Sohail Khan, Mir Hamza, Usama Mir, and Sohail Tanvir are rest of the bowlers picked by the Karachi Kings team and they are somewhat well tried and tested names in this form of cricket.

Shakib-al-Hasan's and Imad Wasim's names stand out for the all-rounder's spots. Both are handy bowlers who can bowl and stop the run flow for the opposition team and break the partnership if needed, with Ravi Bopara also another all-rounder chosen to give Karachi a few more options.

PSL Team : Islamabad United

Islamabad United have done well to choose Misbah-ul-Haq as their captain who'll do very well and merits a spot based on the fact that he is probably the best batsman in the whole country. Whether Twenty20 cricket will be kind to him is something we will know in February, as will the wisdom behind picking up Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Sami, and Khalid Latif.

Whilst Islamabad picking up players such as Shane Watson, Andre Russell, and Babar Azam can be considered good planning, Umar Amin will also be a player to look out for despite a disappointing record in international cricket.

PSL Team : Peshawar Zalmi

Peshawar Zalmi's signing of 'Boom Boom' Shahid Afridi was a very much a predictable move. Had Islamabad United been given first pick they too perhaps would have gone with the Pakistan T20 captain. In fact, from what we understand, Peshawar Zalmi's management even went on to trade their picks just so they could get a clear chance to sign Shahid Afridi.

Looking at the overall team, it is a fairly balanced team which includes some well-known international names like Mohammad Hafeez and Kamran Akmal who will lend a lot of solidity to the Peshawar batting order.

The bowling will have the services of the dependable and feisty Wahab Riaz, Chris Jordan, Junaid Khan and the newer talent in the shape of Mohammad Asghar and Taj Wali, whilst the all-round capability of Darren Sammy with his vast experience of the top Twenty20 leagues around the world will be crucial to Peshawar's chances.

PSL Team : Quetta Gladiators

Kevin Pietersen is an outstanding pick by Quetta; and it does feel strange that he'll be playing alongside players not known for their Twenty20 skills. Some of the picks that surprised observers are Anwar Ali, Zulfiqar Babar, Elton Chigumbura, Bilal Asif, and Saad Nasim who haven't done anything of note to prove themselves in the recent past and will need to play out of their skins to dispel this notion. If the recent Quaid-e-Azam trophy rounds are any guide, Aizaz Cheema and Umar Gul could provide the bowling firepower on listless UAE pitches but Cheema's consistency and Gul's fitness may well be an issue there.

All is not doom and gloom for Quetta as they have picked some aggressive batsmen like Sarfraz Ahmed and Ahmed Shehzad but their recent international form does not suggest that they will set the tournament on fire. Asad Shafiq is another who falls in the below par performers category but ib the flip side, it can be argued that playing alongside Kevin Pietersen can help him improve his game which would be beneficial for Pakistan as well.

The Verdict

If one had to choose one team who'd win the league based on the credentials above, Lahore would be winners by a country mile, However, in the fast paced Twenty20 format, big names aren't necessary the formula for success so Karachi may well be contenders for the crown with Islamabad and Peshawar holding firm in the dark horses category. A win by Quetta can only be classed as a solid and unadulterated upset.

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