PSL 2019: 5 Foreigner Debutants to Watch Out for
The fourth season of the PSL will begin on February 14, with the encounter between the defending champions Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars in Dubai.
The Pakistan Super League has been one of the most entertaining league since its start in 2016. It has given a chance to many Pakistani and overseas players. The player is either capped or uncapped. Every season, we witness talented foreign players - both professional and amateur.
Last season, the Kiwi wicket-keeper Luke Ronchi made his PSL debut for Islamabad and ended up as the highest run-scorer of the tournament. The English all-rounder Joe Denly had impressed with his outstanding knocks for the Karachi Kings. The Proteas leg-spinner Imran Tahir, who made his PSL debut for Multan Sultans, has been impressive in the tournament and ended up as the joint-highest wicket-taker by an overseas bowler. The Barbadian pacer Jofra Archer played two matches for Quetta Gladiators and was sidelined due to a side strain.
This season, many overseas players were bought at a high price in the auction, and it will be fascinating to see how these players compensate their franchises.
Let us take a look at the top 5 foreign cricketers making their debut in PSL 2019.
#1 AB de Villiers (Lahore Qalandars)
AB de Villiers has been an obvious choice for the teams across the T20 competitions. Hailing from Pretoria, he is devastating as well as the most dreaded batsman of all time. He has impressed with astonishing performances in the IPL, MSL and BPL. He played for Tshwane Spartans in the inaugural edition of Mzansi Super League. He scored an unbeaten century in his fourth match of the Bangladesh Premier League while playing for Rangpur Riders against Dhaka Dynamites on 28th January. He is a match winner who can win games on his own.
The Lahore Qalandars failed to qualify for the playoffs in the last three seasons and lost the most number of matches in PSL history. So, ABD's inclusion to the Qalandars squad shows intent from the franchise that they want to seriously succeed.