Wasim Akram Talks About The Bowling Quality Difference Between IPL And PSL
Jun 5, 2020 at 2:15 PM
Legendary Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram recently praised both the T20 franchise leagues – Indian Premier League (IPL) and Pakistan Super League (PSL). However, he has experienced that the foreign players feel PSL provides much better bowling quality than IPL.
The legendary cricketer Wasim Akram only played five recognised T20s in 2003, but he has served as a coaching staff in both the IPL and PSL tournaments. He was the bowling coach of the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) from 2010 to 2016 (only missed out 2013 edition). Then, he has served as the bowling coach of the PSL teams Islamabad United (2016-2017), Multan Sultans (2018) and Karachi Kings (2019-present).
While Akram has talked with the foreign players about the bowling quality difference between IPL and PSL, they have given better marks to the PSL than IPL.
During a recent YouTube chat with Basit Ali, Akram said, “But from whatever I have seen in the PSL over the last few years I have asked a lot of foreign players about the difference between IPL and PSL, when it comes to bowling. They all have said that the quality of bowling in the PSL is much better.”
Talking about the difference between the IPL and PSL bowling qualities, Akram has pointed out that the IPL teams always have at least one weak bowler.
He continued, “In all IPL teams, there is at least one bowler who can be attacked. According to the foreign players, the quality of bowling is a lot better than IPL, according to the foreign players.”
Akram also named a few young Pakistan batsmen who have impressed in the recent PSL tournament. He named the 19-year-old Haider Ali and 28-year-old Zeeshan Ashraf in this list.
The former Pakistan left-arm pacer said, “If I have to name a few promising batsmen, youngsters who are doing well are Peshawar Zalmi’s Haider Ali and Multan Sultan’s Zeeshan Ashraf.”
It’s not fair to compare PSL and IPL: Wasim Akram
However, Akram feels that it is unfair to compare IPL and PSL. According to him, while the five-year-old PSL is still in developing period, the 12-year-old IPL is mature enough to generate a lot of money. He called IPL as the best T20 tournament and put the PSL in the next place in this list.
Akram said, “It’s not fair to compare PSL and IPL. PSL has just started, it’s just been 5 years since its inception. For the first time, it was held in Pakistan we came to know how big a tournament it is for Pakistan. PSL is the second biggest tournament in the World of T20 after IPL. IPL has matured. It’s completed 12 years and there is a lot more money involved in the IPL.”
PSL 2020 was organised during the coronavirus pandemic, but the knockout stages of this tournament have been postponed. Meanwhile, the IPL 2020 has been postponed entirely due to the ongoing pandemic.