Pakistan’s ex-skipper, Misbah ul Haq, believes that Pakistan Super League deserves a lot of credit nurturing talented young players and ensuring their induction into the national team.
The likes of Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman and Faheem Ashraf have transformed the landscape of Pakistan Cricket in pretty much all formats. The veteran captain believes PSL is to be duly credited for playing a massive part in the grooming of these cricketers.
“I believe that the rise of the younger players has a lot to do with the PSL. We always knew that countries with their own T20 leagues such as India, where the players were getting a great opportunity to play alongside top players, were doing well at the international level,” the 44-year old exclaimed.
Misbah feels that apart from nourishing these youngsters, PSL has also bridged a massive hole that has severely damaged Pakistan Cricket over the years. “On top of that, the gap between normal domestic cricket and the international level was too huge and that problem needed to be addressed properly. Thankfully, with three years of the PSL tournament now under our belts, we can see the difference in the way the Pakistani youngsters are performing in a confident manner and adapting so well at the international level,” added Misbah.
Moreover, Misbah has also credited Mickey Arthur for instilling the right culture in the team and making some difficult decisions to keep that culture intact:
“I think Mickey Arthur has done an excellent job in creating a side with so many youngsters settling in well into a team where there is a great emphasis on a culture of discipline and where fitness is an important factor as well. Along the way, he has had to take some hard decisions and looking at the recent results, they are all paying off for the benefit of Pakistan cricket.”
Pakistan’s former legendary skipper has retired from all forms of International Cricket but continues to participate in Pakistan’s highly renowned franchise-based league. In fact, earlier this year, he led his franchise Islamabad United, to their 2nd title victory in just three concluded seasons.
