The highly-anticipated 5th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is all set to take center stage on Thursday, February 20. The opening game of the mega-event will be contested between Quetta Gladiators and Islamabad United at the National Stadium in Karachi.
What makes PSL 5 the most anticipated edition so far is the fact that it will feature all games hosted on homesfoil for the first time in the competitons history. Alongside the increased international exposure, the competition will also be a breeding ground a number of young Pakistani starlets to prove their place in the national side.
The ICC World T20 2020 will be played in Australia, later in October this year. What that means is that alot of promising talent from the domestic circuits have the chance to impress.
The Pakistan team has seen regular changes over the last couple of years, with the management tinkering around in an attempt to create the best possible starting XI. Today, we will be looking at 5 promising youngsters who can shine in the PSL for a ticket to the World T20.
1. HARIS RAUF (LAHORE QALANDARS)
Haris Rauf took the PSL by storm when he made his debut in the 2018 season. However, it was in the 2019-20 Big Bash League that the Lahore speedster took things to the next level. Playing for finalists, the Melbourne Stars, Rauf picked up a hat-trick and was their most successful bowler of the tournament.
In 30 games, the pacer has picked 41 scalps, with an average of 15.4 and a dedent economy of 7.42. As a result, he got selected in the Pakistan squad for the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh.
Rauf’s performances against Bangladesh may not have been match-winning, but the youngster played his role well enough to help his team win the series 2-0.
The 26-year-old will put on the Lahore Qalandars jersey for another PSL outing. He will team alongside the likes of fellow paceman Shaheen Shah Afridi.
2. NASEEM SHAH (QUETTA GLADIATORS)
Naseem Shah is the name the mouths of all cricket lovers across Pakistan. At the age of just 16, he represented the national side, terrorizing some of the very best in the game when he faced Australia and then Bangaldesh.
Against Australia, the youngster claimed Marcus Harris’ dismissal with some serious pace. The 16-year-old also posed a serious threat to Usman Khawaja by pitching in with short balls and almost bagged his scalp too.
Against Bangladesh, Naseem Shah made history by becoming the youngest Test bowler to pick up a hattrick. The talented fast bowler picked up 4 wickets in the first Test match against Bangladesh, subsequently receiving the Man of the match . The fact that the starlet lost his mother a little while ago makes his burst on the International scene look even more remarkable.
Shah is yet to feature in T20 cricket for Pakistan and pundits believe the pacer isn’t far away from doing that. The paceman, who will be playing for Sarfaraz Ahmed’s Quetta Gladiators in PSL 5, will be looking to impress the PCB in a bid to earn a spot for October’s ICC World T20.
3. MUHAMMAD MUSA (ISLAMABAD UNITED)
Against Bangladesh, Naseem Shah made history by becoming the youngest Test bowler to pick up a hattrick. The talented fast bowler picked up 4 wickets in the first Test match against Bangladesh, subsequently receiving the Man of the match . The fact that the starlet lost his mother a little while ago makes his burst on the International scene look even more remarkable.
Shah is yet to feature in T20 cricket for Pakistan and pundits believe the pacer isn’t far away from doing that. The paceman, who will be playing for Sarfaraz Ahmed’s Quetta Gladiators in PSL 5, will be looking to impress the PCB in a bid to earn a spot for October’s ICC World T20.
4. AHSAN ALI (QUETTA GLADIATORS)
Ahsan Ali shone was the star for Sindh in the National T20 Cup 2019. The young batsman picked up 131 runs at an average of 26.20 with a stunning strike-rate of 148.86. The 26-year-old normally opens the batting and has 985 T20 runs in 43 games under his belt.
Ahsan made his debut for Pakistan in the T20 series against Bangladesh. In the first game in Lahore, he played a decent cameo of 36 runs. The starlet will now wielding his sword for Quetta Gladiators as they get set to defend their crown in the 5th season of the competition.
Ahsan, who will be teaming with the likes of Jason Roy, Ben Cutting, Shane Watson and Sarfaraz Ahmed, could book his ticket to the ICC World T20 with a decent showing in the PSL.
5. KHUSHDIL SHAH (MULTAN SULTANS)
Pakistan’s complete revamp following the horror 3-0 whitewash against Sri Lanka saw them rope in the likes of Khushdil Shah. The 24-year-old was selected on the back of some decent outings for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the Pakistan T20 Cup.
Shah will now feature for the Multan Sultans as they look to win their maiden PSL title. He will be playing with the likes of Pakistan legend Shahid Afridi and International stars James Vince, Moeen Ali, Rilee Rossouw, Ravi bopara, Fabien Allen and Wayne Madsen.
Last season, Khushdil didn’t feature in any PSL team after failing to get picked in the drafts. This year however the youngster would want to put a decent showing for the Sultans as he seeks a place in the national side.
