Wasim Akram questions PSL's decade-long failure to produce batting talent, cites Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's example
The legendary Pakistan cricketer cited young Indian batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as an example of the kind of talent the PSL should be developing.
Wasim Akram has questioned the Pakistan Super League's track record on producing talented batters during its first decade of operation. The legendary Pakistan cricketer highlighted a significant gap between the PSL's success in developing bowlers and its struggle to create similar impact on the batting side.
Akram expressed concern about the PSL's output in terms of batting talent development. According to reports from September 12, 2026, he pointed out the disparity in the league's contribution to Pakistan cricket across different disciplines.
"It has been 10 years since the PSL started, but has a single batter been produced by the PSL? Yes we have produced a few bowlers but tell me have we produced any noteworthy batting talent," Akram was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
Sooryavanshi as an example of the talent PSL should produce
Akram used the example of young Indian batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 15, to illustrate the kind of talent the PSL should be nurturing. At the age of 14, Sooryavanshi had made his IPL debut. He recently made an impact on the international stage. The Indian left-handed batter scored 175 runs off 80 balls in the final of the 2026 Under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup against England, helping India win the tournament. He had also made his T20I debut on July 4, 2026, against England and played six T20I matches by late July 2026.
"I think when we produce a batting talent like the 14-year-old then we will see improvement coming through," Akram said.
Akram's call for club cricket revival
Beyond his immediate critique of the PSL's batting output, Akram called for broader changes to Pakistan's cricket development system. He advocated for the revival of club cricket as a foundation for talent development. Akram suggested that the Pakistan Cricket Board should invest Rs 100 million each in Karachi and Lahore to strengthen club cricket infrastructure. He emphasised that talent emerges from club cricket and that this pathway needed to be reinforced.
“Club cricket needs to be revived if we want improvement in red ball cricket. The PCB should spend 100 million rupees each in Karachi and Lahore, as talent comes from club cricket,” Akram said.
Akram also linked the shortage of quality batting talent to Pakistan's struggles in Test cricket. The former fast bowler identified the lack of noteworthy batting prospects as one of the biggest reasons behind the team's difficulties in the longest format of the game.
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