PSL 2020: 5 newcomers who can use the tournament as a platform for a berth in Pakistan's T20 World Cup squad

The fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is all set to get underway on Thursday, February 20. The opening match of the T20 championship will be played between the Quetta Gladiators and the Islamabad United at the National Stadium in Karachi.

In fact, this season, the entire PSL would be taking place in Pakistan unlike the previous times when the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also played hosts. Meanwhile, it’s also a chance for a number of Pakistan players to establish their place in the national team.

The T20 World Cup in Australia is scheduled to be played later this year in October. Hence, a number of players, especially a few newcomers, would be looking to impress. Over the last year or so, Pakistan have lost quite a few games and hence, have resorted to frequent shuffling in the squad.

In the article, let’s take a look at five Pakistan newcomers, who can look to utilize the PSL as a platform: –  

1. Naseem Shah- Quetta Gladiators

Naseem Shah, the 17-year-old fast bowling sensation, has given a good account of himself for the Pakistan team of late. At the age of 16, he donned the national colours in Australia, bowling to the likes of Steve Smith and David Warner.

Even as he didn’t taste much success in his first three Tests, it was during the opening game against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi that the pacer came into his own. He got a fifer, including a hat-trick in the second innings. The fact that he lost his mother a couple of months back, makes his journey look even more incredible.

Shah is yet to play limited-overs cricket though for Pakistan. In the PSL, he will be playing for the Quetta Gladiators under Sarfaraz Ahmed’s leadership. A decent stint may help him break into Pakistan’s coloured-clothing cricket as well.

2. Khushdil Shah- Multan Sultans

Khushdil Shah made his Pakistan debut in the Perth T20 and could manage only eight runs. In a complete revamp of the national team after the 3-0 whitewash at the hands of Sri Lanka, Khushdil was roped in. The 24-year-old had some decent outings for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the Pakistan T20 Cup following which he came in.

Shah then played for the Pakistan Emerging team though. He is now set to play for the Multan Sultans in the PSL 2020 under Shahid Afridi’s captaincy. There, Khushdil can pick the brains of Rilee Rossouw, Moeen Ali and Ravi Bopara for some batting tips.

Last season, he wasn’t picked by any PSL team and this time, he will be looking to make amends. Some handy knocks in the middle order may open the doors for him in the Pakistan national team.

3. Haris Rauf- Lahore Qalandars

Haris Rauf made his PSL debut in 2018 and made the right noises, bowling at high speeds. However, it was in the 2019-20 Big Bash League that he came into the limelight, playing for the Melbourne Stars. The 26-year-old also went on to notch a hat-trick and was their most successful bowler.

In 30 T20s, the talented fast bowler has 41 wickets, striking at a decent 15.4 with an economy of 7.42. Thereafter, he got picked in the Pakistan squad for the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh.

Though he couldn’t make a lot of breakthroughs, he bowled well enough for the hosts to win the series 2-0. In the 2020 PSL, Rauf will be turning out for the Lahore Qalandars. In the franchise, Haris will have young paceman Shaheen Shah Afridi, Pakistan’s leading fast bowler of late, for company.

4. Muhammad Musa- Islamabad United

Along with Khushdil Shah and Naseem Shah, Muhammad Musa also had the privilege of making his Pakistan debut in Australia. Unlike the other two, Musa took part in both the Test and ODI series. To his sheer dismay, the 19-year-old couldn’t make a single breakthrough.

Even in domestic cricket, the Islamabad-born pacer doesn’t have numbers to boast off, having picked 38 wickets in 25 matches. He made his PSL debut for the Islamabad United in the 2019 PSL and returned with eight wickets from seven games.

Among their regular bowlers, Musa was the most expensive with an economy of 10.21. He will again be turning out for United, led by Shadab Khan. Most importantly, he will get to rub shoulders with the legendary Dale Steyn, who will be making his maiden appearance in the PSL.

5. Ahsan Ali- Quetta Gladiators

Ahsan Ali shone in the National T20 Cup 2019, playing for Sindh. In the tournament, he notched 131 runs at an average of 26.20 with a strike-rate of 148.86. The 26-year-old generally opens the batting and has 985 T20 runs in 43 games.

The Sindh-born recently got his maiden Pakistan cap during the T20Is against Bangladesh. In the first game at the Gaddafi Stadium, he scored a valuable 36 runs. But in the second match, he gave his wicket away after being restricted in the opening over of Pakistan’s innings.

It was a series when the Men in Green preferred Ahsan over the likes of Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq. Ahsan will now be honing his skills for Quetta Gladiators. During the event, he can learn a lot from the likes of Jason Roy, Ben Cutting, Shane Watson and skipper Sarfaraz.