Pakistan Super League 2019: The Best XI

Sarfraz Ahmed celebrates winning the Pakistan Super League 2019 as captain of the Quetta Gladiators

Pakistan Super League 2019 – A Month Of Drama

After a month of enthralling cricket, the fourth edition of the Pakistan Super League 2019 came to an end in Karachi with Quetta Gladiators finally getting their hands on the trophy which has eluded them in the past. Time to look at the stars who shone brightly in Pakistan Super League 2019.

Quetta Gladiators finally won the tournament in the Pakistan Super League 2019 edition, after years of trying. They won the final comfortably by 8 wickets. Ahmed Shehzad scored a superb 58 to help them to victory.

Who makes it into our Pakistan Super League 2019 team of the tournament?

Pakistan Super League 2019 – The Openers

Shane Watson (Quetta Gladiators)

Shane Watson batting during the Pakistan Super League 2019 for the Quetta Gladiators
Quetta Gladiators’ Shane Watson plays a shot during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) T20 cricket match between Multan Sultans and Quetta Gladiators at the Multan Cricket Stadium in Multan on February 29, 2020. (Photo by Arif ALI / AFP) (Photo by ARIF ALI/AFP via Getty Images)

No surprises here, Shane Watson is an automatic selection in the team. The veteran Australian ended the tournament as the highest run-scorer and was adjudged as the man of the tournament. Watson amassed 430 runs in 12 innings with a healthy strike rate of 143.81 with four half-centuries. He hit 22 sixes in the tournament and was the catalyst behind Quetta’s dominant run in this edition of Pakistan Super League.

What a Pakistan Super League 2019 Shane Watson had.

Kamran Akmal (Peshawar Zalmi)

The Zalmi opener had a quiet start but regained form in the latter stages. He finished with 357 runs in 13 games striking at 137.83. He scored three fifties with his most crucial innings came against Islamabad in the second eliminator. Kamran scored 74 of just 43 and laid the foundation for a big total and won the man of the match.

Pakistan Super League 2019 – The Middle-Order

Babar Azam (Karachi Kings)

Babar Azam bats for the Karachi Kings during the Pakistan Super League 2019
Karachi Kings’ Babar Azam plays a shot during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) T20 cricket match between Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on March 2, 2020. (Photo by Aamir QURESHI / AFP) (Photo by AAMIR QURESHI/AFP via Getty Images)

Babar Azam scored 349 runs for the Karachi Kings at an average of 49.29. He also scored three half-centuries. He hit forty-three fours in the Pakistan Super League 2019 – the highest in the league. Babar Azam also faced the most amount of deliveries – 279. This was 42% higher than Shan Masood from the Multan Sultans.

Also, Read – Is Babar Azam the next Virat Kohli?

Colin Ingram (Karachi Kings)

One of the crispest hitters going around in the world, Colin Ingram scored 344 runs in 11 innings with a strike rate of 164.59. His best knock of 127* came against Quetta where he took them apart while chasing 187 in Sharjah. His innings included 12 fours and eight sixes. Ingram’s contributions were pivotal in the middle order for the Kings.

Sarfraz Ahmed (Quetta Gladiators)

With the likes of Watson, Rossouw and Umar Akmal in-form, Sarfraz had little to do with the bat this time around. He scored crucial 52* against Lahore Qalandars and won the game for Quetta while chasing 147 in Dubai.

As a captain, he handled his bowlers very well under crunch situations. His relentless attitude and leadership skills were of vital importance in Gladiator’s lifting the title in the fourth edition. The winning captain at the Pakistan Super League 2019.

Pakistan Super League 2019 – The All-Rounders

Kieron Pollard (Peshawar Zalmi)

Kieron Pollard was superb in PSL 2020 for the Peshawar Zalmi
Cricketer Kieron Pollard (R) of Peshawar Zalmi celebrates after taking a wicket of Asif Ali (unseen) of Islamabad United during the second elimination PSL Twenty20 match between Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United in Karachi on March 15, 2019. (Photo by ASIF HASSAN / AFP) (Photo credit should read ASIF HASSAN/AFP via Getty Images)

The big all-rounder from the West Indies had a great tournament both with bat and ball in hand. Pollard amassed 284 runs down the order striking at 173 with two half-centuries to his name. With the ball in hand, he picked up 5 wickets with an economy of 7.88. His change of pace was deceptive and created problems for the batsmen. In addition to that Pollard took 10 catches in the tournament and was named as the best fielder in this year’s edition.

Faheem Ashraf (Islamabad United)

Just like the previous year where he was the leading wicket-taker in the tournament, Faheem Ashraf was impressive again. He finished the tournament with 21 wickets behind Hasan Ali.

Despite not having express pace, he was at the batsmen with his short balls and took wickets at crucial junctures of the games. His best bowling performance in PSL 4 came against Lahore where he took 6/19 on a placid track in Karachi where an aggregate of 427 runs was scored in the day. Faheem Ashraf was excellent at the Pakistan Super League 2019.

HBL PSL 4 – The Bowlers

Hasan Ali (Peshawar Zalmi)

Hasan Ali celebrates taking a wicket for the Peshawar Zalmi
Peshawar Zalmi’ Hasan Ali celebrates after taking the wicket of Karachi Kings’ SharJeel Khan unseen during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) T20 cricket match between Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on March 2, 2020. (Photo by Aamir QURESHI / AFP) (Photo by AAMIR QURESHI/AFP via Getty Images)

The speedster had been the best bowler throughout this edition of the Pakistan Super League. Hasan Ali ended the tournament as the leading wicket-taker at the Pakistan Super League 2019 with 25 scalps with an economy rate of 6.77. The Pakistani star bowled with pace and hostility and was equally effective against both left-handers and right-handers. His best performance came against Karachi Kings where he took 4/15 in his quota of four overs.

Wahab Riaz (Peshawar Zalmi)

While Hasan Ali bowled well with the new ball, his teammate had been getting things done in the middle and death stages of the innings. Wahab ended the tournament on the third spot on the list of highest wicket-takers. He picked up 17 wickets with a terrific economy rate of 6.78. With bowling consistently above 145, Wahab was a nightmare for the opposition batsmen

Break-out Star

Muhammad Hasnain (Quetta Gladiators)

The break-out star of the Pakistan Super League 2019. The 18-year old Muhammad Hasnain impressed one and all with his pace and bowling intelligence. He picked up 12 wickets in the seven games he played and his performances have given him a place in the squad for the upcoming series against Australia. His best figures came in the final where he took 3/30 and was also named as the man of the match.

Umer Khan (Karachi Kings)

The 19-year old was the only spinner to make it in the top five wicket-takers in the Pakistan Super League 2019. Khan took 15 wickets in 11 games with an economy of 7.11. His knack of picking up big players along with economical spells was crucial for Karachi Kings in the middle.

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