Stop picking players based on PSL performances alone!

[pakistani pride]

We had enough seasons now to see a clear pattern. Over the last 3 to 4 years, whenever a player scores runs or takes wickets in the PSL, there is immediately a social media push to get them into the PCT or have them make a come back.

The problem is the level of the PSL this year has been mediocre at best. That means performances should be taken with a big grain of salt. The overseas players have not been particularly strong either. A good example is Peter Siddle being one of the standout bowlers despite being well past 40 and never really a major T20I player for Australia. Other example is the opening bowlers for Zalmi the ''best'' team this year, I mean who are they?

What’s happening is a false narrative gets built. Perform in the PSL and you automatically ready for international cricket. Then those same players get exposed at the higher level.

PSL performances shouldn’t be ignored, but right now they seem to be overvalued without enough context. That is the real issue.

Honestly, sad state of affairs.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

What should be the basis of the selection for T20 if not PSL?

 

[Major]

Exactly. But people go gaga here on these performances and than act surprise when the players fail.

Hassan nawaz, harris, ayub are a few examplws

 

[Cric1234]

Salman Rizwan Nafay Nawaz Saim have all been part of the Pakistan team recently and all are struggling this PSL why blame PSL when the players picked have been below the standard required.... Several younger are paying at higher strike rates now than international which means a transition is taking place and signs are promising...... Its understandable fans are not happy but things will get better Pakistan should have batsmen who can score at a good rate in the future. Mediocre performance have led to fans reduced to doing King Saar stuff only.

 

[Major]

What should be the basis of the selection for T20 if not PSL?

Minimum 2 seasons of good performance backed by a strong or decent performance in List A or first class.

Like dont be avging 40 plus in first class. 30plus shows that he is a proper cricketer.

First class stats reflects the kind of player you are.

If you are a proper cricketer, you will do well in t20.

Farhan is the righr example

 

[jnaveen1980]

This Usman has the most centuries ? He looks like a total hack in the internationals.

 

[Cric1234]

What should be the basis of the selection for T20 if not PSL?

Being captain and having experience Rizwan Babar Saud can be a good top 3.

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Picking players off PSL form alone is lazy and short-sighted.

A few good games in a franchise league don’t prove international quality. It just shows a player had a good run in familiar conditions. That’s not the same as handling pressure, consistency, and different challenges at the top level.

All it does is reward hype over hard work and create a revolving door of players who look good for a month or two and disappear when it actually matters in international cricket.

 

[pakistani pride]

Salman Rizwan Nafay Nawaz Saim have all been part of the Pakistan team recently and all are struggling this PSL why blame PSL when the players picked have been below the standard required.... Several younger are paying at higher strike rates now than international which means a transition is taking place and signs are promising...... Its understandable fans are not happy but things will get better Pakistan should have batsmen who can score at a good rate in the future. Mediocre performance have led to fans reduced to doing King Saar stuff only.

Rizwan, Salman and Nafay for sure should NOT be playing T20s for Pakistan.

 

[pakistani pride]

What should be the basis of the selection for T20 if not PSL?

The basis should be playing domestic cricket. That should be the minimum norm. Play FC cricket for 2 seasons, do the hard work and perform there. This in combination with doing well in PSL makes a player ready for T20Is.

 

[Savak]

The reason why league performances should not be the sole all is because league teams usually do not have all 11 match winning quality players. Usually every league team has a couple of soft bowlers and part timers or only a couple of dangerous batsmen in the team. International teams in contrast are usually filled with the best players from top to bottom especially in ICC events.

 

[RyanRyan10]

Team selection should be based on identifying weaknesses and picking players who can minimize them.

But if you keep selecting players who play the same style that has already hurt Pakistan then nothing will change.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

You identified a problem, but failed to offer a solution. What else are players supposed to be selected for T20 based on?

The focus should be on elevating the quality and standard of the league, rather than suggesting that players should not be selected for T20 based on PSL performances alone. Not every player is lucky enough to get those lucrative BPL and LPL deals.

 

[shamaan786]

Picking players off PSL form alone is lazy and short-sighted.

A few good games in a franchise league don’t prove international quality. It just shows a player had a good run in familiar conditions. That’s not the same as handling pressure, consistency, and different challenges at the top level.

All it does is reward hype over hard work and create a revolving door of players who look good for a month or two and disappear when it actually matters in international cricket.

So we should continue with Agha,Shadab,Nawaz.

 

[Abid Z]

We had enough seasons now to see a clear pattern. Over the last 3 to 4 years, whenever a player scores runs or takes wickets in the PSL, there is immediately a social media push to get them into the PCT or have them make a come back.

The problem is the level of the PSL this year has been mediocre at best. That means performances should be taken with a big grain of salt. The overseas players have not been particularly strong either. A good example is Peter Siddle being one of the standout bowlers despite being well past 40 and never really a major T20I player for Australia. Other example is the opening bowlers for Zalmi the ''best'' team this year, I mean who are they?

What’s happening is a false narrative gets built. Perform in the PSL and you automatically ready for international cricket. Then those same players get exposed at the higher level.

PSL performances shouldn’t be ignored, but right now they seem to be overvalued without enough context. That is the real issue.

Honestly, sad state of affairs.

This is a strange post. Do Pakistan have another t20 competition comparable to PSL? No, so then it’s PSL with a direct entry to Pak t20 team with caveats..a player must still be introduced slowly in the national set up, which they are. There is rightly a huge gap between PSL, Pak national team and then the top tier international teams..so PSL is just a step in the process not the be all.

Consider this. For me the two standout bowlers are Sufiyan and Ali Raza. Where I thought Faisal Akram would out perform Sufiyan now the competition is neck and neck.

Where I thought Ali Raza was a certainty now I think he should be gently introduced, he’s very young can he replace Haris Rauf?

Competition for places is where the PSL excels. Youngsters pushing out older national players. It’s the only chance they get.

Same with a multitude of batters. Batters get found out, there is way more video footage of them when they come on the international stage. Until then they have to learn in a pressure environment as PSL provides that.

 

[pakistani pride]

This is a strange post. Do Pakistan have another t20 competition comparable to PSL? No, so then it’s PSL with a direct entry to Pak t20 team with caveats..a player must still be introduced slowly in the national set up, which they are. There is rightly a huge gap between PSL, Pak national team and then the top tier international teams..so PSL is just a step in the process not the be all.

Consider this. For me the two standout bowlers are Sufiyan and Ali Raza. Where I thought Faisal Akram would out perform Sufiyan now the competition is neck and neck.

Where I thought Ali Raza was a certainty now I think he should be gently introduced, he’s very young can he replace Haris Rauf?

Competition for places is where the PSL excels. Youngsters pushing out older national players. It’s the only chance they get.

Same with a multitude of batters. Batters get found out, there is way more video footage of them when they come on the international stage. Until then they have to learn in a pressure environment as PSL provides that.

My point is more about the hype this creates, as if scoring big runs or taking wickets automatically makes a player world-class or deserving of a recall. If a player has failed multiple times in ICC events, they shouldn’t be brought back into the team based solely on performances in the PSL. Several seniors do not even play FC cricket.

With young players, it’s obviously a different scenario. For them, playing in the PSL is already a big step. However, instead of having a young player debut immediately after a few good games in the PSL, it would be better for them to play First-Class and List A cricket, where they can further develop their game.

And again, this year the standard of the PSL looks quite low. Just look at who opened the bowling for Zalmi yesterday.

 

[Usman Chadda]

Minimum 2 seasons of good performance backed by a strong or decent performance in List A or first class.

Like dont be avging 40 plus in first class. 30plus shows that he is a proper cricketer.

First class stats reflects the kind of player you are.

If you are a proper cricketer, you will do well in t20.

Farhan is the righr example

By this metric, the likes of Babar, Rizwan, Salman Agha and Saud Shakeel fit the bill perfectly, but we all know they are terrible T20 cricketers.

There has to be a balance in how we judge players, and that's what scouts are paid for. You can't extrapolate good List A/FC stats to T20 international cricket, as the results will be as lopsided as they have been. The likes of Hussain Talat have found themselves playing T20 cricket, when they have had really good List A stats with a good amount of years behind them. But we all saw how terrible he was in the Asia Cup under pressure in a T20 international against a good bowling attack.

PSL unfortunately has to be used as a selection tool, there is no other way. Until we get professional scouts in Pakistan who actually know what the hell they are doing with their careers.

 

[pakistani pride]

By this metric, the likes of Babar, Rizwan, Salman Agha and Saud Shakeel fit the bill perfectly, but we all know they are terrible T20 cricketers.

There has to be a balance in how we judge players, and that's what scouts are paid for. You can't extrapolate good List A/FC stats to T20 international cricket, as the results will be as lopsided as they have been. The likes of Hussain Talat have found themselves playing T20 cricket, when they have had really good List A stats with a good amount of years behind them. But we all saw how terrible he was in the Asia Cup under pressure in a T20 international against a good bowling attack.

PSL unfortunately has to be used as a selection tool, there is no other way. Until we get professional scouts in Pakistan who actually know what the hell they are doing with their careers.

You can still make sure young player with potential are developed the right way and not thrown in the deep end because of a good season PSL.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

You can pick based on Shaheens' performances against SENAI 'A' teams.

 

[Josh]

Selection should be based your need. If Your opening batters are settled and you are looking for middle order batsmen, don't pick an opener who performs well in PSL as a middle order batsman.