Ahmed Shehzad criticises PSL, questions comparisons with IPL

New Delhi: The Pakistan Super League is frequently compared to the Indian Premier League; however, former Pakistani cricketer Ahmed Shehzad has held a mirror up to the PCB regarding this ongoing debate. Shehzad took both the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and certain foreign players to task—specifically those who claim the PSL is superior to, or on par with, the IPL merely to grab headlines. Shehzad firmly believes that the standard of the PSL pales in comparison to that of the IPL, and that the PCB's claims are miles away from reality.

Ahmed Shehzad Exposes the Truth About the PSL

Recently, Quetta Gladiators player Rilee Rossouw described the IPL as a "movie" while labeling the PSL as a more competitive league—a remark to which Shehzad delivered a sharp retort. Shehzad argued that players like Rossouw are praising the PSL solely because they are receiving financial compensation from the league. He also questioned the Board's policies, pointing out that Blessing Muzarabani was handed a two-year ban for opting out of the PSL to play in the IPL, whereas no disciplinary action was taken against players like Dasun Shanaka and Spencer Johnson.

Retired Players Play in the PSL

Launching a fierce critique of both player selection and the overall standard of the league, Ahmed Shehzad stated: "The only players left in the PSL now are those who have either retired from the IPL, went unsold in the auction, or—like David Warner and Steve Smith—no longer have a future in the IPL. If any active, contemporary player were given the choice today, they would undoubtedly choose the IPL over the PSL. Given this reality, how many more players do you (the PCB) intend to ban?"

The PSL's Standing Has Sunk Even Lower

Shehzad unequivocally asserted that the PCB must come to terms with the fact that no player in the world is willing to forgo the financial rewards and global platform offered by the IPL to come and play in Pakistan. Justifying Muzarabani's decision, he stated that it is a natural choice for a professional player. While the PCB has expanded the PSL 2026 to a total of eight teams by adding two new franchises in an effort to make the tournament bigger, Shahzad believes that, rather than improving the quality of the league, this move has actually led to its decline.