PSL 2020: Rohail Nazir does an AB de Villiers, pulls off reverse scoop against Shaheen Afridi

When the talk begins of perhaps the most outrageous batsman who can play shots all over the ground, only one name comes to the mind and that is of South Africa’s champion AB de Villiers. Being one of the athletically built cricketers in the world, De Villiers is a special specimen in the cricketing world given that he excelled in every sport he tried his hands in.

De Villiers brought the innovation in shots played in the T20 era, with shots like the reverse scoop, sweeping the fast bowlers into the crowds and utilizing the area behind the wicketkeeper which rarely has a fielder posted. With the rise of T20 leagues all over the world, many young talents are emulating the brilliant Proteas batsman and playing the type of shots he is famous for and one such example was seen in the recent PSL match between Multan Sultans and Lahore Qalandars.

Rohail Nazir emulates AB de Villiers to the tee

The batsman to hit an ABD-like shot was Pakistan’s young talent Rohail Nazir, who recently led their U19 team in the World Cup in South Africa. Nazir is playing for Multan Sultans in the ongoing Pakistan Super League season 2020 and has been one of the batsmen to watch out for, given his extreme talent with the willow and potential to become a great find of this year’s tournament.

Sultans were looking to give their innings the perfect ending and in the 19^th over, being bowled by Shaheen Afridi of the Qalandars, Nazir showed his mettle. Afridi was in his yorker mode, sending a toe crushing delivery one after another. But the 18-year-old Nazir was ready for a ball that missed its mark and it happened on the fifth ball of the over.

He went down and played a De Villiers’ like reverse scoop, sending the ball towards the third man, which raced off to the boundary and left everyone watching in awe – the players and the fans on television, of course – and gave an appropriate prompt of the flair Nazir enjoys. Though Shaheen castled Nazir on the very next ball, the wicketkeeper-batsman had made everyone sit up and take notice.

The Qalandars beat Sultans by 9 wickets, chasing down the 187-run target with ease and qualified for their first-ever playoffs.

Here’s the video:

ROHAIL NAZIR, HOW DID YOU DO THAT 💥

Shaheen Afridi has just been hit for a remarkable shot! He has been removed the very next ball#HBLPSLV #TayyarHain #CricketForAll #PEL #ChangeYourLife pic.twitter.com/fiCP9St7hc

— Cricingif (@_cricingif) March 15, 2020