Billings labels PSL 'cracking experience'

24-year-old featured five times for Islamabad United, where he scored 36 runs and took two catches for his franchise

English wicketkeeper-batsman Sam Billings believes the inaugural edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) — his first-ever franchise cricket experience — was as good as it could have been.

“Franchise cricket around the world, it was my first taste of it and it was a cracking experience,” Billings told ecb.co.uk.

The Kent player recently returned to join England after his stint with Islamabad United in the PSL and feels the experience from the Pakistani league will come in handy during the upcoming World T20 in India.



“It was a completely different environment, a lot of Pakistani international cricketers playing in the side, so just to pick the brains of international players from different countries was fantastic,” said Billings.

“There’s no better player than Brad Haddin to pick the brains of as a number-seven Test batsman and then up the order in T20, obviously as a keeper was invaluable,” he added. “I think any environment where you play against top-class cricketers is going to improve you as a cricketer as long as you have the right attitude and work ethic, I think it’s impossible not to improve.”

The 25-year-old further said his whole focus is targeted towards making England the first team to win the World T20 twice.



“Hopefully I’ve brought some runs over here with me and just looking forward to getting involved into this stuff now,” said Billings, who has previously batted at number seven for England in the one-day international series against New Zealand and at number six in the T20s versus Pakistan.

“I’d happily be third man and not bat as long as we are winning,” answered Billings when asked about his preferred batting position. “It’s just one of those, if you get an opportunity, hopefully I can take it, like that first knock in Dubai which was really pleasing on a personal level but also to win was obviously the aim.”