Shaheen named captain of PSL 8 team

Independent panel gave weightage to performances and modern-day T20 requirements in team selection

Web Desk

19 Mar, 2023

Sports

Lahore Qalandars Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi with the PSL 8 trophy. Photo via Twitter/@thePSLt20

Shaheen Shah Afridi of Lahore Qalandars was appointed as captain of the PSL 8 team by an independent panel that was headed by Haroon Rashid, the chairman of the league’s technical committee.

It also included commentators Bazid Khan, Daren Ganga, Nick Knight, and Sana Mir as members.

The independent panel considered a number of T20 cricket aspects, including “consistency, impact on the side and overall game, and best possible team combination”.

Shaheen inspired Qalandars to finish on top of the points table with seven wins, then helped his side to bounce back from a Multan Sultans drubbing in the qualifier by overcoming Peshawar Zalmi in eliminator two. He played a cameo while leading his side to put 200 on the board in the final. The pacer took four for 51 to walk away with the player of the match award and guided his side to their second successive PSL title.

The concept of a league team was introduced in 2019. This is the fourth successive year Shaheen has made it to the exclusive side.

The side also includes Multan Sultans’ Abbas Afridi and Ihsanullah, who won the emerging player awards. It is also the first time for Mohammad Haris and Azam Khan to be selected for the team.

Overall, the side includes five players from losing finalists Sultans, two players each from Qalandars and Peshawar Zalmi, and one player each from Islamabad United and Karachi Kings.

Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam have been selected as openers, with Mohammad Haris, Rilee Rossouw, Azam Khan and Kieron Pollard forming a formidable middle order. Imad Wasim, who has been picked in the team for the first time, comes in as an all-rounder, followed by wrist spinner Rashid Khan and three fast bowlers: Shaheen, Ihsanullah and Abbas.

This is the fourth time in five years Babar has been selected as an opener, though it is the first time with his Pakistan team partner Mohammad Rizwan, who himself has been chosen in the team of the tournament for the third successive time.