With IPL 2023 done and dusted, former cricketers Sanjay Manjrekar and Tom Moody have discussed about the Pakistan players who would have earned big deals in IPL. Players from all countries except Pakistan are allowed to participate in the IPL, the richest and the biggest T20 league in the world.
A host of Pakistan players had participated in the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2008. Some of the biggest cricket names from Pakistan like Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar, Sohail Tanvir and Umar Gul plied their trade for different franchises in IPL 2008.
But just few months later, the BCCI barred the Pakistan players from participating in the competition after the 2008 terror attack in Mumbai. India also suspended all the bilateral ties with Pakistan in the wake of that deadly attack. India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series since 2012/13 season and only play against each other in ICC tournaments and Asia Cup.
Tom Moody and Sanjay Manjrekar discuss IPL contracts for Pakistan players:
While Pakistan players are unlikely to get the green light to participate in the IPL in near future, it did not stop Moody and Manjrekar to speculate about the deals some Pakistan stars would have got during the auction. Manjrekar began by saying that Haris Rauf would have earned a big deal because of his pace and death bowling. He also picked Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Rizwan.
“One of the best death bowlers, Haris Rauf,” Manjrekar was quoted as saying to ESPNcricinfo.
“I think about their bowlers more than their batters. But Fakhar Zaman would be an interesting choice in certain teams. Rizwan is somebody who plays the anchor’s role. Sometimes, I tend to get worried when Babar and Rizwan bat together,” he added.
Moody, on the other hand, believes left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi would have been a big hit in the IPL. He also picked Pakistan skipper Babar Azam, Rizwan and allrounder Shadab Khan as the players who would have earned big in the auction.
“Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam, Rizwan and Shadab Khan. They have got a number of terrific players, particularly in this format of the game. Shaheen would be your No.1 pick, he would be box office,” Moody said.
Meanwhile, IPL 2023 came to an end last Monday with a thrilling final in Ahmedabad. Chennai Super Kings beat defending champions Gujarat Titans by 5 wickets (DLS method) to win a record 5th IPL title.