Tag: (PSL)

Lahore, February 10, 2023 (PPI-OT):Quetta Gladiators lifted the HBL Pakistan Super League trophy in 2019 following an eight-wicket win over Peshawar Zalmi at the National Bank Cricket Arena. Before that, they had played the finals of the first two editions in 2016 and 2017.

The Gladiators from Quetta established themselves as one of the stronger units in the tournament before their form nosedived in the 2020 edition that saw them crash out of the tournament in the league stage for the first time ever and since they are yet to finish in the top four.

Quetta Gladiators open their HBL PSL 8 campaign on Wednesday (15 February) when they play the hosts Multan Sultans at the Multan Cricket Stadium and hope to regain the pre-2020 form. Ahead of the tournament, PCB Digital spoke to their head coach, Moin Khan, about the impact of the HBL PSL on Balochistan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, who is the only captain to lead his side in all seven editions, as a leader of Quetta Gladiators, and how the HBL PSL has uplifted Pakistan cricket.

Below are the excerpts from the interview and the full interview is available at the HBL PSL’s YouTube channel.

What has been the impact of Quetta Gladiators and HBL PSL on the development of cricket in Balochistan?

Quetta Gladiators and the HBL PSL have played an inspiring role for cricket in the region. Despite a lack of facilities in that part of the country and unfavourable weather conditions in winters, there has been a spike in interest for cricket here with local talent emerging and due to the association with the Quetta Gladiators brand.

In the first season, we had Bismillah Khan, and recently we have had Abdul Wahid Bangalzai and Abdul Nasir in the team, showing that Quetta Gladiators have created an impact.

We have also been instructed by the management to have representation from Quetta in the squad every season. For this purpose, we visit Quetta in the summers and conduct a local tournament to unearth young talent and induct them in the side.

What has been Sarfaraz Ahmed’s impact on the Quetta Gladiators dressing room?

Sarfaraz Ahmed has made an outstanding contribution to Quetta Gladiators. He has performed as an individual and captain of the team. He is a determined and hardworking cricketer and knows how to make a comeback. He is a street-smart cricketer and knows how to lead the side, which is reflected by Quetta Gladiators’ impressive win percentage across all seven seasons.

We will see a more buoyant Sarfaraz in action as he would be looking to carry forward the momentum of his player of the series winning performance against New Zealand.

What goes into making a playing XI and what is your philosophy as a coach?

We have a close look at the conditions and try to develop a consensus when we sit together to device our playing XI. We even involve our owners as they are the most concerned because they are financing the whole franchise.

I want my team to play fearless cricket, because that is the demand of this format and you would stay under pressure if you don’t play that way. Also, clarity is of utmost importance.

What do you think has been the impact of the HBL PSL on Pakistan cricket?

HBL PSL has emerged as a big brand [since its inception in 2016]. There were doubts about its impact on our cricket when it was being launched, but the HBL PSL has taken the graph of Pakistan cricket to new levels. And, it is not only restricted to the game development, but also from a business perceptive. Since the HBL PSL is followed worldwide, many brands have connected with the tournament.

It has produced many cricketers for Pakistan who have done well in this format and created an impact. International cricketers also want to play the HBL PSL, because of its competitive nature. You get to see top cricket in the HBL PSL because of the bowling as Pakistan’s top brass of fast and spin bowlers play in it and the foreigners enjoy being here.

This league can be compared with any league around the world, because of the pitches, conditions, the quality of the opposition and players, and I feel the HBL PSL has improved the graph of Pakistan cricket.

Previous HBL PSL media releases:

20 January – HBL PSL 8 schedule announced

24 January – Fans to nominate Hamaray Heroes for HBL PSL 8

25 January – Teams strengthen rosters in HBL PSL 8 replacement draft

31 January – Babar Azam will aim to notch maiden century in HBL PSL

1 February – Shaheen raring for his comeback in HBL PSL 2023

3 February – New boys on the block

4 February – Fakhar, Haris and Sharjeel on making of aggressive openers

5 February – Amir, Shaheen, Wahab and Wasim on fast bowlers in HBL PSL

6 February – Azam and Usama join Amir, Fakhar, and Wahab on HBL PSL’s impact on their careers

7 February – Match officials for HBL PSL 8 announced

8 February – Aqib Javed previews HBL PSL 8 for Lahore Qalandars

8 February – Andy Flower previews HBL PSL 8 for Multan Sultans

9 February – HBL PSL 8 trophy unveiled at historic Shalimar Gardens

10 February – Azhar Mahmood previews HBL PSL 8 for Islamabad United

For more information, contact:
Pakistan Super League (PSL)
Pakistan Super League Secretariat, Gaddafi Stadium,
Ferozepur Road, Lahore, Pakistan
Email: info@psl-t20.com
Website: http://www.psl-t20.com/

Lahore, February 10, 2023 (PPI-OT):Islamabad United are the only side to win the HBL Pakistan Super League title twice. They were the inaugural winners in 2016 and recorded their second title win in 2018 when they defeated Peshawar Zalmi by three wickets in Karachi.

When the eighth edition of the HBL PSL kicks off, Islamabad United would be hoping to add Supernova Trophy to their cabinet. They begin their journey on 16 February against Karachi Kings at the latter’s home.

PCB Digital spoke to Azhar Mahmood, the head coach of Islamabad United, in the lead up to the tournament. He spoke about the depth in Islamabad United’s squad and the role of the data in the team selection. Below are the excerpts from the interview, while the full interview is available at the HBL PSL YouTube channel.

How excited are you about the HBL PSL 8 being played in the four cities in Pakistan?

This HBL PSL is going to be very exciting as the teams will get to play in front of their home crowds. When I was with Multan Sultans and we played in Multan, the atmosphere was surreal. To play in front of your home crowd is a huge morale booster for any team and you will see the fan following getting a further boost in the upcoming season.

Whenever Islamabad [United] play in front of their home crowds [at the Pindi Cricket Stadium], we get an unbelievable response.

How satisfied are you with the line-up you have put together?

We have won the title twice and are eager to win the third. During retention and player draft, we focused on what brand of cricket we want to play and devised a formula accordingly. Our formula is to fill our top-order with foreign players, and this time we have tried to add more depth to it by keeping in mind who is available at what juncture of the tournament.

We have Sterlo [Paul Sterling], [Colin] Munro [at the top of the batting order] and in the lower order we have Tom Curran, Gus Atkinson.

In the spin all-round depth, we have Shadab Khan, Zafar Gohar, Moeen Ali, Mubasir Khan, who is an emerging player, and Abrar Ahmed, who we have seen can bat in the Tests.

Amongst the fast bowlers, we have Faheem Ashraf, Tom Curran, Gus Atkinson, who has the ability to bat, but not many have seen him yet, then we have Hasan Ali and Mohammad Wasim [Junior].

So, when we will jot down our line-up, we will have players who can bat till number 10, which perfectly suits our brand of cricket.

After the top three in batting, we have Azam Khan, one of the finest hitters, and Asif Ali, and we have brought in Sohaib Maqsood, who can replace any of these cricketers if they are injured or are unable to perform. In the absence of Alex Hales, we will be able to utilise Hasan Nawaz, a young exciting player who has had good domestic tournaments.

In bowling, we have Zeeshan Zameer, who is an emerging talent. Though he bowled only 15 balls in the last edition, but he made an impact. We worked on his fitness and he is fully fit now. Hopefully, he will do well for us this season.

To cover the left-arm fast bowling, we have brought back Rumman Raees, who can replace Fazal-e-Haq Farooqi, who is not available for the first few matches, and towards the end we will have Tymal Mills.

So we have had a look at all the pitches [where we will be playing] and conditions and then devised this squad.

It is very important that many things go in your favour to win a tournament of this nature – when you gain momentum and how you manage injuries. This is the best team in terms of selection. By having a look at the squad, you can see the depth and see how there are replacements available. We have tried to cover all the bases, but at the end of the day, it boils down to your execution on the day of the match.

Who are you banking on to win you matches?

Everyone in my team is a match winner. These players have the ability and skill and they have what it takes to win us matches … now it is upon me to get the match winning efforts from them. I have to make sure that they have the perfect environment in which they can thrive.

The execution of plans and decision-making under pressure are key in the T20 format. My method and philosophy is to play attacking cricket whether you are batting or bowling and there is a great emphasis on fielding. There is an element of luck in batting and bowling, but one’s attitude and body language define fielding, and you can change the game by how your field.

What is the role of data in your team selection?

I am a big believer in data. It can backfire sometimes, but selecting your side through it provides you an extra advantage. It provides you a complete picture regarding the conditions and how certain players can come into play. It also helps one to improve their players as you can work on why a bowler is leaking more runs in the death overs by checking what lengths he is bowling.

Data also helps you in the match-ups and in formulating a playing XI after having a closer look at the opposition, the conditions and the ground dimensions.

Who do you think has the chance of lifting the HBL PSL 8 trophy?

Though all teams look very good on paper, I would say Islamabad and Multan have the chance. Lahore have the one of the best bowling line up in the world when you add Rashid Khan to the attack.

One will have to do a lot of hard work and think out of the box to win matches in this tournament.

Previous HBL PSL media releases:

20 January – HBL PSL 8 schedule announced

24 January – Fans to nominate Hamaray Heroes for HBL PSL 8

25 January – Teams strengthen rosters in HBL PSL 8 replacement draft

31 January – Babar Azam will aim to notch maiden century in HBL PSL

1 February – Shaheen raring for his comeback in HBL PSL 2023

3 February – New boys on the block

4 February – Fakhar, Haris and Sharjeel on making of aggressive openers

5 February – Amir, Shaheen, Wahab and Wasim on fast bowlers in HBL PSL

6 February – Azam and Usama join Amir, Fakhar, and Wahab on HBL PSL’s impact on their careers

7 February – Match officials for HBL PSL 8 announced

8 February – Aqib Javed previews HBL PSL 8 for Lahore Qalandars

8 February – Andy Flower previews HBL PSL 8 for Multan Sultans

9 February – HBL PSL 8 trophy unveiled at historic Shalimar Gardens

For more information, contact:
Pakistan Super League (PSL)
Pakistan Super League Secretariat, Gaddafi Stadium,
Ferozepur Road, Lahore, Pakistan
Email: info@psl-t20.com
Website: http://www.psl-t20.com/

Lahore, February 08, 2023 (PPI-OT):Lahore Qalandars had a stunning run in the last edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League, which culminated in the Shaheen Afridi-led team lifting the trophy. It was the first instance of the side winning the coveted HBL PSL title.

The Lahore Qalandars fans have had a rollercoaster ride. Their side failed to qualify for the playoffs in the first four editions before ending up as runner-up in the 2020 edition.

Lahore Qalandars begin their title defence on 13 February in Multan when they play the home side – Multan Sultans – at 2000.

In a special interview with the PCB Digital, Aqib Javed, the Lahore Qalandars head coach, spoke about his team’s journey, what turned around their fortunes and their chances in the upcoming edition. Below are the excerpts from the interview. Complete interview is available on the HBL PSL YouTube Channel.

How would you reflect on Lahore Qalandars’ rollercoaster ride in the HBL PSL?

Pick order in the players draft ahead of the start of an HBL PSL season determines the better pool of players available to you and during the initial seasons, Lahore Qalandars usually have been short of resources due to the pick order in the draft.

When I joined the franchise in the second edition, I faced the problem of forming a core as other teams had already picked the more skillful players in the domestic circuit. This is when I began the Players Development Programme. We were subject to a lot of criticism in my first three years in charge but we realised our strength lay in developing players. When we appointed Sohail Akhtar as our captain in the HBL PSL 5, there was further backlash but he led us to the final.

The setting of the 2022 title win was perfect for us – Shaheen as captain and winning the final in Lahore. We managed to develop our core group in HBL PSL 5. All we were missing was a captain and Shaheen has proved himself a capable leader.

The core members in every franchise are those who started their career with the same team and still play for them. When we talk about Qalandars being a family, we see that Fakhar Zaman has been with us since the second season, Shaheen entered the team as an Emerging Category player and is now our captain, Haris Rauf was found through the Player Development Programme and he is now one of the top bowlers in the format.

And, there is a lot of focus on the youngsters in Lahore Qalandars. Tell us about that.

We believe in giving our emerging players chances and making them superstars. In a similar way, we are focused on our future stars Kamran Ghulam, Abdullah Shafique and Zaman Khan. I remember Abdullah doubting himself after a few matches he failed to perform in but we backed him and reassured him that he will play all matches. When you give confidence to a young player, only then can he realise his true potential.

You have been involved in cricket for a long time – first as a cricketer and then as a coach. Where do you rate the HBL PSL?

If HBL PSL did not exist, Pakistan cricket would have declined. Franchises invest in the best available players in the country and the competition is very tight in HBL PSL. Credit is due to the HBL PSL for the emergence and progression of Shaheen Afridi, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Babar Azam and Shadab Khan.

A player is judged by his competitiveness and how well he handles the crowd pressure. The HBL PSL experience is thus akin to international cricket and provides you with the platform where you can stand out with your performances.

And what is your take on the famous Lahore-Karachi rivalry?

The Lahore-Karachi rivalry is similar to Pakistan-India as the stadiums are jam-packed whenever these two sides take on each other. There is no added pressure on the contest but instead the players see it as an opportunity to perform and make their mark.

We might see a different rivalry emerge this season for Lahore Qalandars with Babar [Azam] moving to Peshawar Zalmi and people will be anticipating a thrilling clash between the Zalmi captain and Shaheen Afridi.

Previous HBL PSL media releases:

20 January – HBL PSL 8 schedule announced

24 January – Fans to nominate Hamaray Heroes for HBL PSL 8

25 January – Teams strengthen rosters in HBL PSL 8 replacement draft

31 January – Babar Azam will aim to notch maiden century in HBL PSL

1 February – Shaheen raring for his comeback in HBL PSL 2023

3 February – New boys on the block

4 February – Fakhar, Haris and Sharjeel on making of aggressive openers

5 February – Amir, Shaheen, Wahab and Wasim on fast bowlers in HBL PSL

6 February – Azam and Usama join Amir, Fakhar, and Wahab on HBL PSL’s impact on their careers

7 February – Match officials for HBL PSL 8 announced

For more information, contact:
Pakistan Super League (PSL)
Pakistan Super League Secretariat, Gaddafi Stadium,
Ferozepur Road, Lahore, Pakistan
Email: info@psl-t20.com
Website: http://www.psl-t20.com/

Lahore, February 08, 2023 (PPI-OT):Multan Sultans made their HBL Pakistan Super League debut in 2018 and have established themselves as the most successful team. Their win percentage of 57.54 is the most amongst the six sides. They lifted their first HBL PSL title in 2021 and were the runner-up in 2022.

With the eighth edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League around the corner, Multan Sultans are eager to continue their exciting run and become just the second team to win the coveted trophy twice.

Multan Sultans will open their campaign in their backyard against defending champions Lahore Qalandars on 13 February. In the 2022 final at the Gaddafi Stadium, Qalandars had defeated Sultans by 42 runs.

PCB Digital spoke with Multan Sultans’ head coach Andy Flower about his side’s preparations and chances. Below are the excerpts of the interview, which is available on the HBL PSL YouTube Channel.

What has made Multan Sultans such a successful side?

There are a number of reasons for it. Firstly, it is the human beings out there who are competing. So, our players have done an outstanding job by always putting us in a position to compete for the title. Shan [Masood] started the captaincy of Multan when I started with Multan and he did an outstanding job. And since [Mohammad] Rizwan has taken over, he has also been outstanding as a leader. So that’s a good starting point.

The leadership of Ali Tareen, initially, and now Alamgir Tareen has also played a role. I have really appreciated their direction, their passion for Multan Sultans and for Pakistan cricket. Their passion drives us forward to do well. Haider [Azhar] as our chief executive has been the brains behind the operations and he is a smart guy.

We have a really good and solid coaching staff with good local knowledge. It has been particularly brilliant to have Mushtaq Ahmed and Abdur Rahman by my side and get their input and direction. Moreover, Talha is an outstanding analyst with really good, intimate knowledge of not only Pakistani players but of international cricketers and Pakistan conditions.

It is a combination of those things that have worked really well for us over the years.

How did the draft go for you and who are the players to look forward to in your side?

The draft is a hugely important part of the whole franchise process. We are happy with the way the draft went and we think we have a good squad together. The squad we have put together gives us various options of how to balance our team. The coach and the captain are always trying to balance the team and try to give it a stronger bowling line up with as many variations as possible with a fairly lengthy batting order.

We tend to have really high quality in our top six and then a really diverse and hopefully intelligent bowling attack. So, we’re happy with the way the draft went and the replacement draft that’s just happened. Getting the quality of someone like [Kieron] Pollard in that replacement draft is really important and all-rounder Wayne Parnell

I’m really looking forward to working with Usama Mir. I know Mushtaq Ahmed, our spin bowling and assistant coach, really likes him, and so I am really looking forward to what he can do for us this season. If you have good local players, that gives you the best chance in the tournament. It is not all about the overseas players at all. It’s about having good, strong, talented local player.

Shan and Rizwan should not go without mention at the top of the order. They are a great combination and good strong Pakistani men that help us as a team stay strong. Shahnawaz Dhani is super exciting and always great fun to be around. I am looking forward to him getting back into some form.

I am very excited to see Ihsanullah do his things. We saw him as an emerging talent last year, so we used him briefly. I know that he has had some very good domestic performances and he bowls with genuine pace.

He attacks a bit like Dahani, so that is going to be very exciting, not only for us, but also for Multan and Pakistan fans. He’s a very exciting prospect who bowls a real pace. And we all know that real pace is very exciting to watch. So, that’s going to be great.

What makes a good T20 side?

Balance is importance. Mostly you need power – batting power. The game is still open to those players who are particularly skilful and intelligent because they can still thrive in this environment. There is not one way to skin a cat.

If you are skilful and smart enough, you can definitely thrive in the top order, in top quality T20 cricket, but getting that balance right, getting the right and left handers to operate together and having good players of spin because spin is so important in T20 cricket these days.

It is important to have a bowling attack that offers a variety of different challenges for the batsmen because that allows the captain to call on different skills based on what might challenge particular batsman in the middle. I suppose people call that match ups these days.

Of course, long batting orders are ideal and with power hitters either side of one or maybe two touch players.

You have worked in many leagues around the world. How does the HBL PSL stand out?

Each league has its nuances and its differences. I genuinely have enjoyed my time in the HBL Pakistan Super League. It has been exciting to see the talent that is available. What really stands out for me is the fast bowling and the spin bowling. In the HBL Pakistan Super League, every side has pace and usually every side has a wrist spin. Some of the batting quality is obviously top notch.

I do really like the fact that the Pakistani cricketing public have really bought in to the various franchises and associate themselves with each individual franchise and, therefore, provide the atmosphere that’s so important not only for the players to express their talent in front of, cameras and pass on that feeling of excitement to the viewers on TV.

I think all that stuff is important in developing a great product and the HBL PSL definitely got that.

So, should the Multan fans expect their team to reclaim the title this year?

Yes, why not? They should definitely look forward with hope and expectation. We all want to think positively about Multans’ results. I must say it is important to understand, certainly in our dressing room, that to a large extent, you can’t control results. You can control things like your attitude when you turn up to training or your attitude when you turn up to compete in the match.

Those are the things that are under your control and those are the things that we try to encourage our players and staff to focus on. If you do that well, you have a higher chance of doing well in the tournament. That is how we try to look at it.

I would not want to dampen any of our supporters’ hopes and dreams. We are really looking forward to performing in front of the [home] fans for five of our games this year. We played there before and the atmosphere was sensational. It has a great ground. It has a good pitch. We hope we can make the use of our home conditions, home knowledge.

I cannot wait to get there and to the other venues around Pakistan and then really enjoy an of exciting contest.

Previous HBL PSL media releases:

20 January – HBL PSL 8 schedule announced

24 January – Fans to nominate Hamaray Heroes for HBL PSL 8

25 January – Teams strengthen rosters in HBL PSL 8 replacement draft

31 January – Babar Azam will aim to notch maiden century in HBL PSL

1 February – Shaheen raring for his comeback in HBL PSL 2023

3 February – New boys on the block

4 February – Fakhar, Haris and Sharjeel on making of aggressive openers

5 February – Amir, Shaheen, Wahab and Wasim on fast bowlers in HBL PSL

6 February – Azam and Usama join Amir, Fakhar, and Wahab on HBL PSL’s impact on their careers

7 February – Match officials for HBL PSL 8 announced

8 February – Aqib Javed previews HBL PSL 8 for Lahore Qalandars

For more information, contact:
Pakistan Super League (PSL)
Pakistan Super League Secretariat, Gaddafi Stadium,
Ferozepur Road, Lahore, Pakistan
Email: info@psl-t20.com
Website: http://www.psl-t20.com/

Lahore, February 06, 2023 (PPI-OT):The HBL Pakistan Super League has had a profound impact on the players and cricket at large in the country. While it has galvanised millions of fans and united them under the umbrella of cricket, it has served as a platform for the up and coming cricketers to rub shoulders with the best and up skill themselves all the while providing opportunities to those on the periphery to grab spots in the national side.

The eighth edition of the tournament, which kicks off with the defending champions Lahore Qalandars taking on hosts Multan Sultans at the Multan Cricket Stadium on 13 February, comes with plethora of opportunities for many cricketers participating in the biggest cricketing carnival in the country. And, they are eager to pounce on it.

Mohammad Amir – Karachi Kings (first player to take a HBL PSL hat-trick and has 54 wickets to date)

“The HBL PSL helped me in getting back into rhythm after my return to competitive cricket. When I played the first edition of the HBL PSL, I had just made my international comeback in New Zealand and it provided me the exposure and environment of the international cricket because of the top quality of cricket.

“I travel all over the world to play cricket, and everyone rates the HBL PSL very highly because of the quality of bowling. No league comes closer in comparison when it comes to the quality of bowling, and now we are producing quality batters too.

“We have unearthed [Mohammad] Haris and we got Haider [Ali] as well. I have just returned from the Bangladesh Premier League and despite the fact that many leagues are taking place right now; people there were waiting for the HBL PSL to begin because of the high quality of cricket.”

Azam Khan – Islamabad United (who has scored 632 runs at a strike rate of 134.75)

“I was struggling against fast bowling on the tricky Abu Dhabi wickets during the HBL PSL 6 and I realised I needed to work on my ability to play against pace bowling. I started more intense practice, which made it easier to tackle pace in match situations.

“It was popularly perceived that I struggle against pace bowling at 140+ kph but for the past two years, I have vastly improved this aspect of the game and I feel satisfied to have overcome it.

“Initially, I felt I feared facing fast bowling. I started watching Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), which fascinated me and I thought to myself that the cricket ball is just a small thing and we are scared of it. How much hurt it can cause me compared to what the MMA fighters go through?”

Fakhar Zaman – Lahore Qalandars (leading run-scorer last year (588) and third most (1,939) runs in the tournament’s history at 138.79):

“I had played for Pakistan A before my HBL PSL debut, but playing against legends like Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard and sharing the dressing room with such a big name like Brendon McCullum gave me a lot of confidence.

“It is a great knowledge sharing experience as when the juniors share the dressing room with the senior international cricketers they learn about the tactics of the game and pick up things which they cannot do otherwise. So, I firmly believe, the HBL PSL will continue to benefit Pakistan cricket in future.”

Usama Mir – Multan Sultans

(who played in the 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2020 HBL PSLs for Karachi Kings)

“The HBL PSL has had a tremendous impact on my career. It gave me recognition, which opened the doors for various franchise leagues around the world.

“The HBL PSL provides one the taste of international cricket as you are playing quality cricket in pressure environment and you get to learn how to carry yourself in tough situations. You do not get under that much pressure in the other leagues, after you have played in the HBL PSL and the same happened with me – I found other leagues much easier after playing the HBL PSL.”

Wahab Riaz – Peshawar Zalmi (only bowler to take 100 or more wickets HBL PSL)

“The HBL PSL has had a great impact on the game of cricket in the country and it personally played an important role in my career.

“I was not part of the national side after the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, but as I continued to play competitive and top quality cricket in the HBL PSL, I stayed in the rhythm and it eventually helped me to be back in the side for the 2019 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.”

Upcoming HBL PSL media releases:

7 February – PCB Podcast, featuring Imad Wasim, Mohammad Rizwan and Shadab Khan

Previous HBL PSL media releases:

20 January – HBL PSL 8 schedule announced

24 January – Fans to nominate Hamaray Heroes for HBL PSL 8

25 January – Teams strengthen rosters in HBL PSL 8 replacement draft

31 January – Babar Azam will aim to notch maiden century in HBL PSL

1 February – Shaheen raring for his comeback in HBL PSL 2023

2 February – Babar, Sarfaraz and Shaheen feature in special edition of PCB Podcast

3 February – New boys on the block

4 February – Fakhar, Haris and Sharjeel on making of aggressive openers

5 February – Amir, Shaheen, Wahab and Wasim on fast bowlers in HBL PSL

For more information, contact:
Pakistan Super League (PSL)
Pakistan Super League Secretariat, Gaddafi Stadium,
Ferozepur Road, Lahore, Pakistan
Email: info@psl-t20.com
Website: http://www.psl-t20.com/

Lahore, February 05, 2023 (PPI-OT):The HBL Pakistan Super League has been synonymous with high-quality fast bowling since its inception in 2016. A distinct feature of the league has been the domination of pacers with four of the five leading wicket-takers in the tournament’s history being fast bowlers. Feeding into the depth of Pakistan’s pace bowling arsenal, the HBL PSL has produced some talented quicks including Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shahnawaz Dahani who have made a mark on the international stage.

PCB Digital

Spoke with Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Wasim, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Wahab Riaz, as the fast bowlers discussed the mantra to success in T20 cricket, the bowling tactics deployed for different stages of an innings and the impact of HBL PSL on Pakistan’s fast bowling landscape. These interviews are available at the HBL PSL YouTube Channel.

Mohammad Amir – Karachi Kings

A long-time member of the Karachi Kings outfit, Amir was the first player to take a hat-trick in HBL PSL when he dismissed Lahore Qalandars’ Dwayne Bravo, Zohaib Khan and Kevon Cooper on successive balls in Dubai in 2016. He has taken 54 wickets and also bowled six maiden overs in his 59-match HBL PSL career, most for any bowler in the tournament.

“In T20 cricket, you have to understand what the pitch demands from you as a bowler. You do not worry about which batters are on strike, but instead assess what the wicket requires you to do. “If there is swing on offer, I will rely on fuller lengths but if the pitch is slow, I will use the off-cutter as my stock ball. “Nowadays in T20s, there is not a lot of swing to play with apart from the first couple of overs, hence, you have to come up with a strong plan B. You must have different types of deliveries besides conventional swing to outfox the batter.

“As a new-ball bowler, my role in the team is to take early wickets in the Powerplay. On the other hand, while defending a target, I try to create pressure by bowling dot deliveries because if I go for a wicket, I may concede boundaries and the team cannot afford that.”

Mohammad Wasim Junior – Islamabad United

Wasim Jnr has been a dynamic addition to the Islamabad United unit over the past two seasons with his skiddy pace often troubling the batters in the death overs. 12 of Wasim’s 20 wickets in HBL PSL have come in the death overs of an innings, showing his utility in the final phase. “Fitness is central to a fast bowler’s success and bowling rhythm. Bowling an accurate Yorker is a difficult task but the more practice you do in the nets, the better you get at executing the effective delivery.

“If you are bowling in the first innings, your main goal is to dismiss the batters early and keep the opposition restricted to a low score, whereas in the second innings, you can be defensive in your lines and dry up the runs depending on the target.”

Shaheen Shah Afridi – Lahore Qalandars

Lahore Qalandars captain Shaheen has struck in his first over of an innings 15 times in the HBL PSL, consistently providing his team with an attacking start. He was the leading wicket-taker in HBL PSL 7 with 20 scalps. To date, he is the third most successful bowler with 70 wickets in 50 matches at an average of just over 20 with an economy-rate of 7.63.

“Any good batter in the world who has played in the HBL PSL, will always appreciate the standards of fast bowling in the league.

“The main reason is that all the fast bowlers here have healthy competition amongst themselves. They are constantly looking to better each other and putting in impressive performances. This is a positive sign for Pakistan cricket that we have good quicks coming through who bowl with some heat.”

Wahab Riaz – Peshawar Zalmi

Wahab remains the only bowler in HBL PSL to reach the 100-wicket landmark when he took the scalp of Islamabad United batter Danish Aziz last year. The 37-year-old is also the most capped player in the league with 77 appearances and has donned Zalmi colours across all seven seasons.

“As a bowler, you should be aware of your strengths and weaknesses. You should know how to bowl according to each phase of the innings. The more matches you play and the more experience you gain, you learn important lessons with the exposure.

“I keep things very simple in T20s. It is necessary you realise that batters will attack and you can go for runs, but you need to trust the process and not forget the basics.”

Upcoming HBL PSL media releases:

6 February – Significance of HBL PSL

7 February – PCB Podcast, featuring Imad Wasim, Mohammad Rizwan and Shadab Khan

For more information, contact:
Pakistan Super League (PSL)
Pakistan Super League Secretariat, Gaddafi Stadium,
Ferozepur Road, Lahore, Pakistan
Email: info@psl-t20.com
Website: http://www.psl-t20.com/