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Saturday, March 06, 2010

Will the Pakistani players be missed at the IPL?

The much-awaited third season of the Indian Premier League T20 extravaganza is finally here! However, it is a huge disappointment that a T20 tournament of such stature will not showcase some of the stars of Pakistan’s World T20-winning side.

None of the franchises picked any Pakistani players at the auction held in January. This may have been a safety ploy, but will it turn out to be a huge mistake instead?

Pakistan in 2009

Here is a look at Pakistan’s success in T20 Internationals in the past year which saw a number of new youngsters and some of the returning players coming together to form a lethal force.



Pakistan maintained a very high success rate in 2009 with a better win-loss ratio as compared to the other top sides on the international circuit. They won nine out of 12 matches which is a very consistent record given the unpredictable nature of the shorter format.

The reason for this success has been the performance of some key players from the subcontinent nation. Here’s a sneak peek at some of their records in T20 Internationals in 2009.

Top 5 bowlers in T20Is (1st Jan – 31st Dec, 2009)

The table above is a list of the top five bowlers from last year. Notice how the top three bowlers on this list belong to the World Cup-winning Pakistan side. Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul and Shahid Afridi were not only the leading wicket-takers in the list but also had a much better average and economy rate than the rest of the pack.


Top Pakistani batsmen (1st Jan 2009 – 28th February 2010)

Kamran Akmal had an excellent year with the bat scoring 350 runs in just 12 innings, but he also affected 15 dismissals - more than anyone else in the same period. Shahid Afridi already featured in the bowlers’ list but he did as much damage with the bat scoring 272 runs with an impressive strike rate. Umar Akmal is their latest find and the youngster impressed in the six matches that he played in this period averaging over 30 with a healthy strike rate.


Pakistan in IPL 1:

The first edition of the IPL remains the only one to have featured players from Pakistan. Most of them did not have the best tournament, but a few players stood out. The most commendable performer was Sohail Tanvir who was given the ‘Purple Cap’ after becoming the leading wicket-taker in the tournament.

Top 5 bowlers in IPL 2008




Tanvir performed consistently in the 11 matches that he played. He picked up a total of 22 wickets in the tournament and maintained an economy of 6.46 which are excellent figures for an opening bowler in the T20 format. On more than five occasions, Tanvir picked up three wickets or more including his 6/14 against Chennai, which still stands as the record for the highest number of wickets in an innings by any bowler in the tournament.

Tanvir’s teammate and Rajasthan Royals wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal showed a few glimpses of his quality. In the six matches that he played, Akmal effected nine dismissals as the wicketkeeper. He also scored a total of 128 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 164.10. His most influential performance came in a game against Chennai, where he scored an unbeaten 53 off just 27 balls.

Umar Gul, who has had an excellent 2009, also left his mark in the first edition of the IPL. He featured in only six matches but picked up 12 wickets at an average of 15.33. His efforts helped Kolkata end the tournament on a high when they beat Kings XI Punjab. Gul picked up four wickets, conceding just 23 runs, playing a crucial role in securing the win.

An eye on Season 3


The shortlist for the IPL 2010 auction had some interesting names, including some that were previously part of the rival league, ICL. Shane Bond, Damien Martyn and Justin Kemp were three such additions who got picked over the Pakistani players even though they were all listed at the same base price.

A comparison between some of the players who will be in action at the IPL 2010 and some of Pakistan’s leading marksmen reveals some striking figures.

Shahid Afridi vs Kieron Pollard:

Bowling records in T20 Internationals:

Batting records in T20 Internationals:

Kieron Pollard was the most expensive player in the IPL 2010 auction. A comparison of the players’ international batting and bowling records clearly indicates that ShahidAfridi would have been a better bet in both departments, besides being more experienced. 
 

Mohammad Aamer vs Kemar Roach:

Bowling records in T20 Internationals

Kemar Roach was bought for Rs.3.28 crores in the auction with very little experience in the International circuit. Mohammad Aamer has been a regular fixture in the Pakistan side across all formats of the game but he did not get picked by any of the sides.

Damien Martyn will be participating in the IPL for the first time. He has not played international cricket since December 2006 but was picked over Abdul Razzaq, who is still an integral part of the Pakistan side and whose recent performances are a clear indication of his ability to swing the match in his team’s favour.

Justin Kemp is another such example of a player who has not played International cricket for over two years now but was selected by a franchise over any other player from Pakistan. Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, who has returned to playing international cricket for Pakistan in the last year, could make a much better contender than Kemp.

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