IPL 2021 is almost knocking on the door with BCCI has announced the schedule for the season last Sunday. Six confirmed venues to host matches throughout the season are Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata. Among the venues that will not host IPL matches, this season includes Mohali, Hyderabad and Jaipur. The season opener will be played between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore in Chennai. Meanwhile, in this article, we will look at 5 Pakistan players who deserve to play in the IPL.
It was only in the inaugural season that the Pakistan players were allowd to participate in the tournament. Since then due to political tensions between two countries, the BCCI decided against the participation of Pakistan players in the tournament. Time and again, the debate has been spoken and written about, but the BCCI has been very strict on maintaining what they had said earlier.
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5 Pakistan Players Who Deserve To Play In The IPL
Babar Azam
The Pakistan cricket team captain has often been compared to Virat Kohli. Having started way later then Kohli, he has risen up the ranks in international cricket and today is the best batsman of the team in all the formats of the game. He has a good understanding of the game and would have been a very vital player for any team he would have played for.
Babar is currently third in the ICC T20I rankings and could have been a useful player for teams like Rajasthan Royals who have recently released their former skipper Steve Smith. Babar could have been the perfect foil for Smith at number three for the franchise.
Mohammed Hafeez
Called the Professor back in Pakistan cricket, Mohammed Hafeez played for Kolkata Knight Riders in the first season. An experienced all-rounder Hafeez would have served well for teams like KKR, CSK and Mumbai Indians who like to play with a lot of bowling options.
From opening the innings to batting in the middle-order, Hafeez is adept at doing everything which makes him a versatile T20 cricketer. The top two are definitely among the five players who deserve a chance to play in the IPL. He would have been an ideal player for teams like Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bangalore with the teams requiring all-round options in the middle order.
Wahab Riaz
The left-arm pacer can be a good addition for any bowling attack. Someone who can reverse wing the ball can be a very good option at the death. Franchises can be smart in using two for two overs upfront and make him bowl two out of the final five overs. His stats in international T20 and PSL cricket are proof enough of his experience.
Being a left-armer, Riaz has that ex-factor that the franchises will look to go after. Teams like CSK and KKR who have many right-arm bowlers in their outfit, the Pakistan pacer can provide an attacking option with the ball to these franchises.
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Shadab Khan
Shadab is another good all-round option. He recently led Islamabad United in the PSL before the league was postponed for the second time. Shadab Khan be handy with the bat to batting lower-down the order. His strike rate in international T20 is nearly 130 and his economy is under 8 which makes him a good overall package.
The Pakistan spinner can be a good player for Chennai Super Kings who over the years have heavily relied on their spinners to get their job done. Alongside Tahir, he can be another option from the other end and together they can keep the opposition batsmen confused.
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Hasan Ali
Hasan Ali is another Pakistan player who deserves a chance to play in the IPL. A well-travelled T20 cricketer, he can be a very good option with the ball. He has raw pace and can crank it up when needed. He can bat too and hit some lusty blows. A strike rate of 192.86 with the bat and an economy under seven makes him an useful player for any franchise.
Hasan Ali also broke the legendary Waqar Younis’ records to become the fastest Pakistani to take 50 ODI wickets, taking up just 24 games to reach the record. The 2018 edition of the Pakistan Super League saw him take 12 wickets in 9 games with best figures of 3/22 for Peshawar Zalmi.
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