‘PSL was a platform for me, which shaped me as a person’ - Babar Azam reflects on his cricket journey
“Means a lot. As a youngster, it was a platform for me. Now, as a senior player, having been through a long journey, I advise youngsters to take this as an opportunity, groom themselves," said Babar.
Former Pakistan skipper Babar Azam reflected on his Pakistan Super League (PSL) journey, describing the league as the ultimate platform for discovering genuine talent. Since its inception, the PSL has provided young Pakistani stars with an opportunity to showcase their skills on a big stage. This year, the excitement reached new heights as the PSL’s legendary roadshow took center stage at the historic Lord’s Cricket Ground.
From international stars to homegrown talent, the league has delivered unforgettable T20 moments. Babar himself began his PSL journey in 2016 with Islamabad United and later went on to represent Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi, making the most of the opportunities the tournament offered to grow as a cricketer.
“The journey has been really good, and also the experience. As a youngster, when I played [in the PSL], the only thing on my mind was that 'I should learn from the top players as much as I can'. And, I shared the dressing room with many big players, and it helped me a lot as a person and as a cricketer,” said Babar during the panel discussion of the roadshow.
“I used to try to go and talk to established cricketers at that time like [Kumar] Sangakkara, Chris Gayle, [Andre] Russell, and Mahela Jayawardene. To share a dressing room with them, observe the way they talk and what they teach us, helped me a lot because they have a long journey behind them and plenty of experience,” he added.
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Pakistan has produced some exceptional batters over the years, and Babar is undoubtedly one of them. As the cricketing world now recognises his brilliance, Babar acknowledged the crucial role the PSL played in his early development. Reflecting on his rise, he credited the league with shaping his game and called it the perfect springboard for emerging talent.
“Means a lot. As a youngster, it was a platform for me. Now, as a senior player, having been through a long journey, I advise youngsters to take this as an opportunity, groom themselves as players, and learn as much as they can,” said Babar.
Even before the next edition kicks off, the PSL is set for a major leap with the introduction of two new franchises. This expansion will create more opportunities for emerging talent, giving Pakistan cricket a better chance to unearth future superstars from the league.
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