Top 5 Emerging Young Talents in PSL 8

Those cricketers who have made their mark as upcoming talents in the last seven seasons of the Pakistan Super League make up a significant part of the current national setup (PSL).

Some of these superstars have since gone on to win multiple ICC awards, and some of them are currently ranked in the top three of the ICC rankings.

Fans are eagerly awaiting some youngsters to showcase their talent and make their way into the national setup in the ongoing eighth edition of PSL, with the grooming of emerging players in mind.

Some young players in the current edition have already captured the attention of the cricket community, receiving praise from former players and experts.

Let’s take a look at five upcoming talents who have so far impressed in PSL 8:

Ihsanullah

If Sultans captain Mohammad Rizwan is the batting unit’s backbone, right-arm pacer Ihsanullah is the bowling unit’s soul.

Ihsanullah’s bowling abilities were put to the test in the first PSL game against Lahore Qalandars, where he finished with 37 runs conceded and two wickets taken.

His best performance this season came against Gladiators in their second match, when he took the lead as the season’s leading wicket-taker and remains at the top of that list.

The 20-year-old pacer annihilated the Sarfaraz-led batting lineup with sheer pace and swing, finishing his 4 overs with 5 for 12 and registering his career-best bowling figures.

The speedster maintained his momentum against Zalmi in their third match, taking three wickets including the wicket of Babar Azam, which he described as his ‘dream wicket’.

After taking 2 for 19 against Islamabad United, the young pacer went wicketless against Karachi Kings, conceding only 17 runs in four overs.

The right-arm pacer is currently the leading wicket-taker in the current edition, with 12 wickets in five games at an average of 13.70 and an economy rate of 5.54.

Abbas Afridi

Due to Shahnawaz Dahani’s injury in the first match, young Abbas Afridi was able to make his way into the playing XI and showcase his talent with his bowling skills.

In his first match of the season, against Gladiators, the right-arm pacer took two wickets and conceded 27 runs, assisting his team to a convincing victory.

Abbas’ next match was against the Zalmi, and he defeated them by 56 runs by dismissing the in-form Mohammad Haris and West Indian Rovman Powell.

The 21-year-old pacer was at his best against Shadab Khan’s Islamabad United, where he annihilated the opposition batting unit with a four-over spell of 4 for 22.

The 21-year-old pacer was at his best against Shadab Khan’s Islamabad United, where he annihilated the opposition batting unit with a four-over spell of 4 for 22.

The true test of Abbas’s ability to handle pressure came against the Karachi Kings, when he was trusted for the final crucial over while Imad Wasim and Ben Cutting batted.

The right-arm pacer not only defended 22 runs in his final over with the wicket of Ben Cutting, but he also disrupted the Karachi Kings’ rhythm earlier in the innings by dismissing Shoaib Malik.

The rising star is currently the season’s second-highest wicket-taker, with 10 wickets at an average of 13.70 and an economy rate of 9.90 in four matches.

Mirza Tahir Baig

Mirza Tahir Baig, the stylish opening batter, was selected as an emerging player by the Lahore Qalandars in the PSL 2023 draught. In the ongoing tournament, he has been tasked with opening the innings alongside Fakhar Zaman.

Although the young cricketer, who began his professional career this season, has yet to play a significant innings for his team, he has garnered attention for his skills and temperament.

Mirza Baig was inserted into the starting XI for the first game against Sultans, where his 32-run innings and 61-run partnership with Zaman helped Qalandars to their first win.

The opener continued to be his team’s leading scorer in their second game against Karachi Kings, scoring 45 runs off 39 balls, including three boundaries.

In their third game against the Quetta Gladiators, Mirza faced one of the PSL’s most lethal bowling attacks and scored 31 off 15 balls, including four boundaries and two sixes.

The right-hander combined with Fakhar Zaman for 61, 40, and 49 runs against the Multan Sultans, Karachi Kings, and Quetta Gladiators, respectively.

Saim Ayub

Another star who has piqued the interest of the cricketing fraternity is Saim Ayub, the top-order batter for Peshawar Zalmi.

However, Saim has only played in one match so far in the current season of PSL 8. Against Multan Sultans, the left-handed batter scored 53 runs off 37 balls, including three boundaries and the same number of maximums.

With his classy innings, the 20-year-old batter reminded cricket fans of Pakistan’s legendary batter, Saeed Anwar, due to his clean hitting and use of the wrist.

After batting for 53 runs, he earned the praise of former Pakistani cricketer Ramiz Raja, who stated that Saim, along with Mohammad Haris, are future openers for Pakistan’s T20 side.

Irfan Khan Niazi

Irfan Khan Niazi, the upcoming young talent for Karachi Kings, has shown flashes of brilliance in the first few PSL 8 matches. Irfan has been effective with the bat and has arguably been the tournament’s best fielder thus far.

So far in the tournament, Irfan has taken four catches, all of which have been screamers. In the four matches he has played so far, he has demonstrated his athleticism on the field as well as his six-hitting ability.

The 20-year-old has also been productive with the bat. In the four innings he has played in PSL 8, he has scored 58 runs at an average of 58.00, including five massive maximums. His strike rate of 145.00 is also among the best in the Karachi side.

The flamboyant batter is looking forward to being given more bat responsibility and unleashing his full potential in the ongoing tournament.