Friday 21 October 2016 11:38, UK
Sajid Sadiq takes a closer look at the Pakistan Super League T20 tournament and the England players set to star in it...
The first edition of the long awaited Pakistan Super League T20 tournament ended with much fanfare in February.
What appeared to be a fantasy for many years for cricket-mad fans in Pakistan, a country deprived of international cricket since 2009, became a reality in the United Arab Emirates in early 2016.
The manner in which the inaugural edition of the tournament captured the imagination of cricket lovers in Pakistan and around the world, was heart-warming, and the announcement that the final of the PSL 2017 will be held in Lahore has sent ripples of excitement within followers in Pakistan.
If the plan to hold the final in Lahore does come to fruition, the climax to the event is sure to be an even bigger spectacle and will raise the standing of this tournament to another level in the eyes of many.
The very thought of seeing international stars on Pakistan soil after years of isolation will guarantee box-office smash status to this tournament and push the PSL towards the popularity level of the much vaunted Indian Premier League.
If the interest in the recently concluded draft process is any guide, there is little doubt about the mass appeal of this tournament when the second edition of the PSL does get underway next February.
The reputation of England's players as exciting practitioners of the shortest version of the game is clearly on display as they represent the joint largest contingent of players from one country who were selected in the draft process.
Thus, in Kevin Pietersen, Ravi Bopara, Eoin Morgan, Chris Jordan, Alex Hales, Luke Wright, Tymal Mills, David Willey, Sam Billings and Ben Duckett, there is more than enough firepower to set the tournament alight.
While among the hundred players chosen by the franchises, 66 of Pakistan's finest will be present - experienced campaigners such as Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Hafeez, rubbing shoulders with the equally exciting names of Sarfraz Ahmed, Umar Akmal, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Yasir Shah, Imad Wasim and Sharjeel Khan.
Pakistan's younger talent is also well represented in the shape of Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Asghar and the rapidly improving and record-breaking batsman Babar Azam.
In terms of overseas players, Chris Gayle, Darren Sammy, Kumar Sangakkara and Shane Watson add extra star-power to the tournament.
The limelight may well be on the star-performers above, but the presence of a number of high-profile mentors associated with the franchises such as the great West Indian batsman Sir Vivian Richards (Quetta Gladiators), the 'Sultan of Swing' Wasim Akram (Islamabad United) and the hugely popular Younus Khan (Peshawar Zalmi) is sure to add more glitter to the tournament.
The players in the previous edition spoke about immense benefits from the presence of mentors for the improvement of their game and this tradition is set to continue.
On the negative side, there may rightly be some criticism due to the inclusion of a large number of foreign players and with three of the five teams having foreign captains.
However, for the cricket buffs, the emergence on the international scene of players such as Sharjeel and Nawaz as a direct consequence of performances in the PSL points to an unadulterated success of the tournament in unearthing fresh talent for the country; a trend that many would love to see continue in the second edition.
Wherever the final is played, whichever teams contest the final, one thing can be guaranteed, the Pakistan Super League 2017 in its own unique way will be a brilliant spectacle for players and fans alike.
