Former cricketers praise PSL-based selection

Aqib Javed, Muhammad Akram believe youngsters performing in tournament are the real deal

KARACHI: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) has once again provided several fresh young faces for the international side, with three new players called up for the series against West Indies, and former cricketers have urged the management to utilise them wisely.

The young talent of Lahore Qalandars pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, star of the U19 World Cup and a solid performer in an otherwise ill-fated Lahore campaign, has been named in the side alongside Islamabad United’s Asif Ali and Hussain Talat — both of whom played a key role in their team’s winning campaign.

Test pacer Rahat Ali has also been rewarded with a T20 call-up on the back of an impressive debut season with Quetta Gladiators.

World Cup winning pacer and Lahore Qalandars coach Aqib Javed has urged caution with the 17-year-old Shaheen, stating that he is a precocious talent who should be groomed in the shortest format before he can be considered for the Test side.

“He is a tall bowler who is blessed with pace,” said Aqib, while talking to The Express Tribune. “Bowlers like him are great for T20s and he should be used in the shortest format for at least one year along with some ODI matches. He should first be polished in the shorter formats before he can make his way into the Test team.”

Aqib urged the board to use him with caution and not spoil him like some other talents that Pakistan have had over the years. “The board should take care of him and should treat him right, otherwise he will be wasted like Muhammad Irfan, who was brought into the Test team too early,” he said. “Irfan should have played in the shorter formats more first, that way he would still be a very good asset for the T20I side.”

The 45-year-old Aqib also lent his support behind the selection committee picking up players on the basis of their PSL performances.

“The PSL is a complete package; you have quality cricket, good pitches, crowd pressure, international stars and national team players,” he said. “So if a young player performs in this competition then you know he is likely to be the real deal.”

The Lahore coach believes another player of his side should have been part of the squad. “They have missed Agha Salman, who is the perfect middle-order batsman,” he said. “Pakistan don’t have a lot of top quality middle-order batsmen. If you look at the recently concluded PSL, you won’t find more than one local middle-order batsman in each franchise. Salman is a someone who should have been selected.”

The former pacer also hailed the two Islamabad United talents, stating that they have been performing in the domestic circuit for some time now.

“The players performing in the domestic circuit do not get much credit since there aren’t that many eyes on it,” he said. “There aren’t a lot of people going to stadiums for it and the matches aren’t televised either. But if a player performs in the PSL then he is more likely to be the real deal.”

Aqib did, however, criticised the selection committee for overlooking all-rounder Aamer Yamin.

‘PSL gives Pakistan an embarrassment of riches’

Peshawar Zalmi head coach Muhammad Akram said that this PSL has given Pakistan a lot of talent to choose from for the shorter formats. “West Indies will be sending most of their B team players so Pakistan should have selected more youngsters that emerged during the PSL,” he said.

“Players like Agha are hard to find and he should be utilised sooner rather than later,” added Akram. “Senior players need to be rested, especially the ones who have been playing for a long time, and youngsters should be given a chance.”