The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been a special tournament for cricket fans worldwide. This IPL season, we have witnessed many nail-biting finishes and some crunch performances by the players. Some teams are going through a good patch of form while the other teams seem to be having a hard time like CSK and Rajasthan Royals.

Some sides were more than capable of qualifying for the playoffs but made a few errors here and there. Kolkata Knight Riders had an issue with the captaincy, few other teams had injury problems. We all know that captains play a big role in their teams, and they are the game-changers.

Pakistan players are not allowed to play in the IPL due to the differences between the countries, but many of their players have showcased their talents through other major tournaments. They even have their own T20 league in Pakistan Super League (PSL) and the local talent is immense in the country. Almost all the teams in PSL are led by Pakistan cricketers and what if they were playing in the IPL as well?

Here we bring you the eight Pakistan players who would’ve been perfect to lead IPL teams:

1. Sarfaraz Ahmed (Mumbai Indians)

He is a Pakistani wicketkeeper-batsman who plays in the middle order. The 33-year-old is also former Pakistan’s captain and also led them during the 2019 World Cup. Sarfaraz was named their country’s captain at the 2016 ICC World Twenty20, which happened in India.

He was soon given the ODI and Test responsibility too. Till recently, Pakistan dominated the ICC T20 rankings. Sarfaraz Ahmed is a talented and an experienced player which would help Mumbai Indians largely. He would be a great addition to their squad. He also led the Quetta Gladiators to the title earlier and his skills at the helm are too good.

2. Shahid Afridi (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

Shahid Afridi, despite not playing international cricket, has kept himself fit to be part of some of the T20 teams across the world. He has captained the Pakistan team in all three formats. He is an experienced campaigner and knows how to handle pressure situations.

Afridi has played in the IPL, in the first season for the Deccan Chargers. Even though he retired from international cricket, Bangalore will certainly love to have such a player as their captain. Afridi as the leader would’ve played a huge role for the RCB team.

3. Babar Azam (Rajasthan Royals)

He is just 26 years old and he’s currently leading his national team in limited-overs formats. Babar Azam is a player who has an immense talent and is rising through the ranks with every passing day. He has an astounding average of above fifty both in the ODIs and in T20s.

Many also compare him with Virat Kohli and expects him to do the same for his country. RR has not produced many good batsmen this year, and they would surely prefer to have Babar Azam both as their captain and the top run-getter.

4. Imad Wasim (Kings XI Punjab)

Imad Wasim came into limelight when he made his debut for his country, on May 2015 against Zimbabwe. He is an all-rounder who bowls slow left are orthodox and has a few scalps to his name. Imad Wasim has been captaining the Karachi Kings, and he has been their best captain ever.

He will be a great buy for Punjab since they lack a proper all-rounder and Wasim can also make a difference if he leads the team. Imad is a brilliant T20 bowler and can tie up the flow of runs. He can also bat up the order every now and then to propel the run-rate.

5. Shoaib Malik (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Shoaib Malik made his debut for Pakistan in 1999. He is a batting all-rounder, who can stabilise the innings and also finish it off when needed. He also has the ability to bowl a couple of overs. He played his last World Cup when it comes to the 50-over format at least.

If Malik was able to play IPL, SRH would be the right team for him. They require a player with his expertise and making him the captain would end up becoming a wise decision. He has already debuted in the IPL, playing for Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals).

6. Misbah-ul-Haq (Chennai Super Kings)

He played his last match for Pakistan in 2015, in which he captained the side. He was their leader in all three formats and has done the job very well. Misbah is Pakistan’s most successful Test captain with 26 wins. He averages nearly 47 in tests and 43.40 in the ODI’s, which is extremely good.

Misbah was the ODI captain from 2008 till his retirement and had the 10th highest success rate ever. Even Misbah, like his fellow players, has made the IPL debut back in 2008, for RCB. It would be a big benefit for CSK to have him and it will be an addition of another veteran player in the dad’s army. His captaincy will also stand out, just like how MS Dhoni does.

7. Mohammad Hafeez (Delhi Capitals)

He was awarded as one of the best all-rounders in the world, by the ICC Player Rankings, in the limited-overs format on many occasions. He has previously played for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the first edition of the IPL. He was given the captaincy role in the T20Is and was named the vice-captain in both ODIs and Tests under Misbah.

He became the first Pakistani captain to hit three fifties in a row and became Pakistan’s leading run-getter in T20s. If DC had a choice, they would want to keep Hafeez as their main opener and moreover, make him their captain. His experience will be huge for the team filled with the youngsters.

8. Mohammad Sami (Kolkata Knight Riders)

He is known for his fearful pace and swing. Sami has a lot of wickets to his name and is the only bowler in cricket to notch hat-tricks in all three formats of the game. While playing for Pakistan and even now, he cranks up a lot of pace and tends to trouble the batsmen.

He was made the captain in the 2019 PSL, for the Islamabad United, and they had qualified for the playoffs but could not end it on a high note. Sami can be KKR’s ‘X’ factor, they lack a genuine fast bowler. His fast bowling and captaincy skills will be a great boost for the KKR camp.

~ Written by Jerin Varghese M