IPL 2021: 5 Players From Pakistan Who Could Have Been Blockbusters In IPL

Cricket is a highly celebrated sport in India and Pakistan. Both the neighbouring countries have a long history of cricket rivalry and India-Pakistan matches always attract massive viewership. However, due to the escalation of political tensions between both nations, there are no bilateral cricket matches played among both nations. Pakistan players were once part of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

In IPL 2008, Pakistan cricketers were part of IPL and a few of them also gained the limelight with their performances. However, after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, India-Pakistan crosses swords.

Eventually, this resulted in many political parties voicing against the participation of Pakistani players in the Indian Premier League. As a result, BCCI debarred Pakistan players from participating in the Indian Premier League and franchisees also did not show any interest to induct Pakistani cricketers into their squad.

In 2015, Pakistan started its own domestic T20 league titled Pakistan Super League (PSL). The tournament became a hit among Pakistan cricket fans and has been a popular league in the country. Pakistan has some great cricketers who are also quite popular on the international stage. Here we look at 5 players from Pakistan who could have been blockbusters had they featured in IPL.

IPL 2021: 5 Players From Pakistan Who Could Have Been Blockbusters In IPL

Babar Azam

Babar Azam is a great batsman who has impressed a lot of cricket fans with his brilliant batting. In Pakistan Super League, he is the leading run-scorer with 1774 runs. In PSL 2020, Babar Azam won the green cap, an award given to the leading run-scorer of the tournament.

Babar Azam is also a great T20 batsman on the international stage. He is the 3rd ranked T20I batsman in ICC’s rankings. Babar Azam would have been a great player in the Indian Premier League and would have won the hearts of many cricket fans with his amazing batting.

Mohammad Rizwan

Pakistan wicket-keeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan has shown great form in the T20I format in recent time. The wicket-keeper batsman played wonderful innings during Pakistan vs South Africa T20I series 2021. Batting as an opener, Rizwan smashed an unbeaten century (104) in the first match.

In the second game, he hit a half-century (51). In the third T20I match, he smashed 42 runs off 30 balls. Due to Rizwan’s superb efforts, Pakistan won the series 2-1 and he was also awarded the ‘Player of the Series Award’. As a wicket-keeper batsman, Rizwan would have been a great player in the Indian Premier League.

Asif Ali

In Pakistan Super League, Asif Ali is a powerful hitter. He plays for Islamabad United in the tournament. He holds the record for fastest fifty in PSL off 17 balls- a record also made by Kamran Akmal. In the last six PSL tournaments, Asif Ali has hit 54 sixes in 39 innings and is third on the list of cricketers with maximum of sixes after Shane Watson and Kamran Akmal. With his hard-hitting batting skills, Asif Ali is another player who would have gained the limelight in IPL.

Hasan Ali

Right arm-medium pacer Hasan Ali has been a great bowler in Pakistan Super League. He is the second-most wicket-taker in the tournament with 65 wickets in 49 matches. In PSL 2019, he was the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 25 wickets in 13 games. Hasan Ali is a very successful bowler in PSL and he would have also been a great bowler in the Indian Premier League.

Shaheen Shah Afridi

Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi is another player who would have earned accolades in the Indian Premier League. Shaheen Shah Afridi, a left-arm pacer, became part of the Pakistan Super League in 2018. While playing for Lahore Qalandars, he has scalped 43 wickets in 31 matches and is the 8th most wicket-taker in the tournament.

In PSL 2020, Shaheen Shah Afridi was the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 17 wickets in 12 games. Due to his amazing stats in bowling, he is also the 12th ranked T20I bowler in ICC rankings. Shaheen has the ability to trouble batsmen with his pace and he would have been a great bowler in the Indian Premier League.