The Pakistan Super League (PSL) is about to begin its eighth season, and anticipation for the competition is at an all-time high. The world’s top T20 players have gathered in Pakistan to compete for the coveted PSL title, and the entire cricketing community is eagerly anticipating seeing their favourite stars in action.
Internationally renowned athletes like Alex Hales, Jason Roy, David Miller, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Rashid Khan, as well as national athletes like Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Shadab Khan, Naseem Shah, and Mohammad Rizwan, will be driven to deliver outstanding performances and guide their respective teams to victory.
PSL has seen some incredible performances over the years from both domestic and foreign athletes, with names like Andre Russell, Luke Ronchi, Kamran Akmal, Daren Sammy, and Mohammad Hafeez illuminating the stadiums in the UAE and Pakistan.
With a variety of stars giving it their all to win Pakistan’s biggest T20 event, the PSL has had seven different player of the tournament honours across its seven iterations.
Let’s take a closer look at the champion player from each of the seven PSL seasons:
Ravi Bopara – PSL 1
In the first PSL season, former England all-rounder Ravi Bopara was named the league’s player of the year. Karachi Kings gave a terrible performance, with Bopara the sole bright spot. In the five-team PSL, Kings only managed to win two of their nine games, placing them in fourth place overall.
The English all-rounder finished the competition with the second-most runs scored and the sixth-most wickets taken. In eight innings, Bopara scored 329 runs at an average of 54.83 and a strikeout rate of 132.12. In addition, he took 11 wickets at a 13.81 average and a 6.90 economy rate.
| Matches | Runs | Batting ave. | Strike Rate | Wickets | Bowling ave. | Economy |
| 9 | 329 | 54.83 | 132.12 | 11 | 13.81 | 6.90 |
Kamran Akmal – PSL 2
Kamran Akmal, a former wicket-keeper batter for Peshawar Zalmi, was an easy choice for the player of the tournament honour in the second season because he concluded the competition with the most runs scored and contributed significantly to Peshawar Zalmi’s championship run.
In 11 games during the competition, Kamran scored 353 runs at an average of 32.09 and a strike rate of 129.30. With a total of 12 dismissals, including seven catches and five stumpings, he also emerged as the competition’s top wicketkeeper.
| Matches | Runs | Batting ave. | Strike Rate | Catches | Stumpings | Total Dismissals |
| 11 | 353 | 32.09 | 129.30 | 7 | 5 | 12 |
Luke Ronchi – PSL 3
The third season of the PSL’s Player of the Tournament award went to New Zealand wicket-keeper Luke Ronchi for his outstanding batting performance. The main factor in Islamabad United’s second title success in three editions was Ronchi’s outstanding performances.
Ronchi finished the tournament as the top run-scorer with 435 runs at an average of 43.50 and a strike rate of 182.00 in the 11 games he participated in. He was the most important player in PSL 3 because to his capacity to take on the bowling assault from the very first ball and produce constant efforts.
| atches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | 50s |
| 11 | 435 | 43.50 | 182.00 | 5 |
Shane Watson – PSL 4
The fourth season of the Pakistan Super League included legendary Australian batter Shane Watson, whose exploits helped Quetta Gladiators win their first championship. In addition to finishing as the competition’s top run-getter, Watson’s steady at-bat performances earned him the title of player of the event.
In 12 games during the competition, Watson scored 430 runs with an average of 43.00 and a strike rate of 143.81. His work at the top of the order provided Quetta with the ideal foundation, allowing him to rack up huge totals on the board and win the game.
| hes | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | 50s |
| 12 | 430 | 43.00 | 143.81 | 4 |
Babar Azam – PSL 5
The fifth PSL season saw Babar Azam, Pakistan’s all-format captain, at his very best. His outstanding performances at the top of the order proved to be essential for Karachi Kings in their first title win in PSL history, setting the record for most runs in a single season of the league.
In his 11 innings of competition, the tournament’s outstanding batter amassed 473 runs at an average of 59.12 and a strike rate of 124.14. Karachi had a strong foundation to build with thanks to Babar’s dependable performances at the top of the order, which ultimately helped them win the PSL 5 championship.
| Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | 50s |
| 12 | 473 | 59.12 | 124.14 | 5 |
Sohaib Maqsood – PSL
Sohaib Maqsood, an accomplished middle-order batsman for Pakistan, demonstrated his value with the bat during the PSL 6 by playing some amazing knocks. Sohaib’s elevation to one down turned out to be a brilliant move since he attacked the bowlers and produced outstanding performances throughout the competition.
Due to his unrivalled impact on the team, Sohaib ended up ranking third in the tournament in terms of runs scored. His outstanding performances enabled Multan to win their first PSL championship. In 12 games during the campaign, he scored 428 runs with an average of 47.55 and a strike rate of 156.77.
| Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | 50s |
| 12 | 428 | 47.55 | 156.77 | 5 |
Mohammad Rizwan – PSL 7
In the most recent PSL season, Pakistan’s wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan maintained his incredible T20 form. He replicated the same feat in PSL 7 as he guided Multan Sultans to their second straight final after placing second in run scoring in the previous season. Rizwan’s performances were too strong to be overlooked, despite the fact that they were unable to defend their title following a defeat to Lahore.
Rizwan’s steady performances with the bat earned him the title of tournament player. In 12 games during the tournament, he scored 546 runs with an average of 68.25 and a strike rate of 126.68. He finished the competition as the joint-best wicketkeeper with nine dismissals, including seven catches and two stumpings.
| Matches | Runs | Batting ave. | Strike Rate | Catches | Stumpings | Total Dismissals |
| 12 | 546 | 68.25 | 126.68 | 7 | 2 | 9 |
Players from all over the world are preparing to give their best performances in order to support their respective teams in winning the PSL 8 in a few days. It would be intriguing to see which player in PSL 8 is able to take home the trophy for player of the season.
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