Not since the first few seasons of the Indian T20 League has Pakistan players been a part of the league. With the constant tension between the two nations, it seems rather unlikely that they will ever be a part of the tournament. But, hypothetically, if they were to be a part of the league, we take a glance at three players who would likely kill it at the auctions.
Babar Azam
The ever-reliable Babar Azam has 4861 runs in 142 T20s at an average of 43.01 and a strike rate in the mid-120s. He has three hundreds in the format and for any franchise that doesn't have Virat Kohli - that's seven if you are keeping count - Babar Azam is a great buy. The Pakistani batsman had a great season in the English T20 league, proving his versatility in the format as an opener. A few franchises that could be interested in him include Kolkata, Chennai and Rajasthan.
Wahab Riaz
Wahab Riaz is an under-appreciated T20 bowler with his death bowling skills and ability to hit the yorkers relentlessly. Possessing good variations, the left-arm pacer is an excellent purchase just for his pace and reliability in the format. He has 296 wickets in the format in 252 matches at an average of 21.55 and a handy economy of 7.15. Few franchises that might be interested in him include Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata.
Mohammad Amir
The reliable Mohammad Amir is a destructive force with the new ball and has 199 wickets in 164 T20s at an average of 20.93 and a terrific economy of 6.93. In the PSL, Amir has 49 wickets in 44 games while in the English T20 league and BPL, he has 24 and 38 wickets respectively. The left-arm seamer would have been a great buy for Delhi, Punjab and Bangalore.
Feature image courtesy: AFP / Asif Hassan
