PSL nurturing Pakistan’s budding talent, says Alan Wilkins

DUBAI: Former county cricketer and renowned commentator Alan Wilkins has termed Pakistan Super League as a platform for Pakistan’s budding cricketers to display their talent to the world.

Talking to Geo.TV in Dubai on Monday, Wilkins – who’s in the commentary team for the PSL – said that the league has already produced some talented cricketers for Pakistan like Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Hassan Khan, Mohammad Asghar and Hussain Talat.

“The PSL put these young cricketers from age bracket of 18 to 22 years to a stage where they know that not only Pakistan, but the world is looking at them.  So they perform, it’s a good incentive. There is one way to take Pakistani cricketers upward and that is playing in the PSL,” he said.

“Emerging players have really come to the front, players like Shadab Khan, Hassan Khan, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Asghar and Hussain Talat…. There is so much young talent that is coming through,” said the former cricketer turned commentator.

The former Glamorgan and Gloucestershire player added that the standard of cricket in the second edition of PSL is very high and the good thing about the PSL is that the league has learned quickly.

“The standard this year is higher and I think the games – because they’re so closely contested – show that every team has got an agenda, which shows that it is better than last year, when everything was new. This year’s standard is very high,” he said. 

“This is a new league (compared to other T20 leagues being played) and a new tournament. IPL is 10 years old, CPL is four or five years old, Big Bash too, so they have experience. The PSL is learning and maybe in a year or two, we might have six/seven franchises. There is no problem with this league. This tournament is up there with the very best,” said Wilkins.

Replying to a question, Wilkins hoped that the PCB’s decision to hold PSL final in Lahore comes out as a positive step, and a one in the right direction.

“Let’s hope that this is a positive step and a step in the right direction. Everyone wants cricket back in Pakistan, everyone wants Pakistan to have its homeland as home ground. We just hope that this is a step in the right direction and we’ll give it our support,” he said.

“That’s all that’s being discussed at the moment, we are in discussion with the PCB on how we are going to do this. InshaAllah it will work out well, we hope so,” said the globally acclaimed cricket commentator when asked if he and other commentators would travel to Lahore for the PSL final.