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This is mere speculation. What if we had seen the stars of yesteryear being part of the IPL? Here is a list of players from Pakistan who would have been million dollar babies had they been at the top of their games and vying for an IPL contract.
1) Imran Khan
The most gifted cricketer Pakistan has ever produced. Imran Khan bowled lethal spells with the ball and had the power to clear any ground in the world with the bat. He bowled reverse swing at will and could dismantle the opposition in a matter of minutes. Khan was also an astute captain. While he was occasionally accused of being an autocratic leader who backed only certain players to do well, but Imran brought the best out of youngsters. Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Aaqib Javed, Inzamam – they all excelled under Imran Khan.
Role in the IPL:
- To bowl with the new ball and take early wickets. Come back in the later overs and bowl yorkers and slower balls at will.
- To captain the side and inspire the young bunch of talented guys and groom them to take up challenges at the international level.
- To bat at number 5 and hit lusty blows at the end of the innings. To consolidate if there are early wickets lost.
Ideal Team:
Rajasthan Royals: Royals won their only title when they had an inspirational skipper leading them to victory. Imran would have perfectly fit in Royals’ scheme of things.
2) Javed Miandad
Javed was a player who scored one’s and two’s at will and then cut loose in the later part of the innings. Javed has been hailed as one of the greatest batsman to be born in Pakistan and his records speak for themselves.
Role in the IPL:
- Bat at number 3 and control the innings. Play cheeky shots in the death overs.
Ideal Team:
Deccan Chargers: The franchise would have paid a hefty price to get Miandad onboard. Chargers have always struggled to find an ideal number 3.
3) Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram was arguably the best all-rounder the game has ever seen. He bowled brilliant yorkers and his variations bamboozled the batsmen from all over the world. Akram was a ferocious hitter of the cricket ball and often helped Pakistan win matches through his attacking approach.
Role in the IPL:
- Bowl with the new ball and pick up early wickets. Couple of overs in the later part of the innings would just be perfect for his reverse swings.
- Bat anywhere in the order. Pinch hitter or lower order hitter.
Ideal Team:
Mumbai Indians have this uncanny knack of snapping up vital players. I am sure Akram would have fit into any team and would have won matches for them. But looking at MI’s history, I think they would have got Akram.
4) Waqar Younis
Waqar was one of the fastest bowlers the world has ever seen. He swung the ball prodigiously and often made the batsman look like a fool with his late movement. His banana swing in the late stages of the innings meant that he was difficult to score off.
Role in the IPL:
- Pick up wickets at any stage of the match. Ideally the captain would love to use Waqar in 2-3 spells because he could come in handy if there was an onslaught in the middle overs.
Ideal Team:
Royal Challengers Bangalore has had the problem of leaking runs time and again. Waqar Younis would have addressed their issue and helped Challengers win matches at a consistent rate.
5) Saqlain Mushtaq
Saqlain Mushtaq foxed the batsmen all over the world with his doosras. He was the best off spinner in the late 1990s and revolutionized the art of spin bowling. Saqlain would bowl the death overs as well.
Role in the IPL
- To bowl good line and length. Not give away many runs and trouble the batsman with his variations.
Ideal Team:
Chennai Super Kings almost always is the side with the most quality spinners, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see them snap up Saqlain.
6) Inzamam Ul Haq
Inzamam was one of the most elegant batsman Pakistan has ever produced. While he would often run out his partners through his slow running, he had raw power and could hit sixes at will.
Role in the IPL:
- Bat at number 4 and control the innings.
- Hit a few lusty blows in the end overs and make sure not to run out anybody.
Ideal Team:
Pune Warriors India: PWI’s history shows that the foreign players have not delivered on a consistent basis. Inzamam’s inclusion would certainly bolster the Pune unit.
