5 players who impressed during the 2018 PSL

The 2018 PSL came to an end with Islamabad United beating Peshawar Zalmi by three wickets thanks to the brilliant batting performances by Luke Ronchi, Sahibzada Farhan and Asif Ali and the brilliant bowling performances by Shadab Khan and Samit Patel.

By winning the tournament, Islamabad United became the most successful team in PSL history with 2 titles.

Throughout the tournament, there were several wondrous performances from a number of players and many of them were consistently brilliant. Here are 5 players who impressed during the 2018 PSL.

---

#5. Shane Watson

Shane Watson was one of the best players for the Quetta Gladiators this season. He mesmerised the crowd with his many scintillating performances with both bat and ball. Watson began the tournament with a spell of 3/22 against Karachi Kings. He followed this with a 42-ball 66 against Lahore Qalandars.

Watson’s finest performance of the competition came against the Karachi Kings where he scored a fantastic 90 from 58 deliveries and took 1/18 from his three overs to help Quetta to a 67-run victory.

Quetta gladiators reached the play-offs but unfortunately, they did not have Watson for their eliminator against Peshawar Zalmi which they lost by the ever-agonising margin of 1 run.

Watson ended the tournament as Quetta’s highest run-scorer and the tournament’s 5th highest with 319 runs at an average of 35.44 and a strike rate of 135.16. He was also Quetta’s second-highest wicket-taker and the tournament’s 12th highest with 11 wickets at an economy rate of 7.66.

Follow Sportskeeda for all the updates on PSL 2019 schedule news, points table, live scores and fantasy tips.

#4. Kamran Akmal

Akmal was the second highest run-scorer of the tournament

The 36-year old out-of-favour keeper batsman was one of the key reasons why Peshawar Zalmi reached the final of the tournament. Akmal began the tournament in bizarre fashion by scoring a duck in the tournament opener against the Multan Sultans at Dubai.

However, he came back by scoring a 32-ball 53 against Islamabad United at the same ground two days later. Akmal continued to impress during the remainder of the league stage through his batting and keeping. He scored the second fastest century in PSL history off 59 deliveries against Lahore Qalandars. He went on to score 107 in that game which is also the second highest individual score in PSL history.

In the second qualifier against Karachi Kings, Akmal scored the fastest fifty in PSL history from just 17 balls. However, he failed to contribute with the bat in the all-important final as he scored just 1. Nevertheless, Akmal ended the tournament as the second highest run-scorer with 425 at an average of 38.63 and at a strike rate of 153.42. He also had 8 dismissals to his name. Akmal currently holds the records for the most number of runs (929) and most number of dismissals (34) in PSL history.

Akmal’s impressive performances in the PSL could keep him in contention for a comeback in the national team

Follow Sportskeeda for all the updates on PSL 2019 schedule news, points table, live scores and fantasy tips.

#3. Faheem Ashraf

The 24-year old was awarded the Maroon Cap for being the highest wicket-taker of the tournament

24-year old Faheem Ashraf was one of the main reasons behind Islamabad United’s victorious run in the PSL this year. Ashraf began the tournament brilliantly with a spell of 2/37 and a 30-ball 54 against Peshawar Zalmi which alas, came in a losing cause.

He followed this with a wicket-less but economical spell of 0/17 against Multan Sultans. Ashraf contributed with some brilliant spells with the ball which were often overshadowed by the batting performances of a player we will be discussing later in this slider.

Nevertheless, Ashraf’s bowling helped Islamabad United to the final where he had his biggest moment in the limelight. Ashraf hit the tournament winning six and also took 1/32 with the ball. Ashraf ended the tournament as the joint highest wicket-taker with 18 wickets which is the most number of wickets taken in a single PSL season.

Due to Ashraf having a relatively better average than the other bowler who took 18 wickets, he was adjudged the tournament’s best bowler and was awarded the Maroon Cap. Ashraf who took a hat-trick against Sri Lanka in a T20I a few months back, had a terrific season and if he continues his form, then Pakistan will have found an extremely reliable bowler for the 2019 World Cup.

Follow Sportskeeda for all the updates on PSL 2019 schedule news, points table, live scores and fantasy tips.

#2. Wahab Riaz

Wahab Riaz was the joint-highest wicket-taker of the tournament

Wahab Riaz was one of the best bowlers of the entire tournament and was one of the key reasons behind Peshawar Zalmi’s run to the final. Riaz began the tournament with a brilliant spell of 2/19 from his four overs against Multan Sultans.

He followed this with another economical spell of 1/21 against Islamabad United. Riaz continued to bowl several wicket-taking and economical spells for Peshawar Zalmi as they reached the play-offs. The 32-year old was Peshawar’s top-scorer in their second leg against Islamabad United with an unbeaten 33 from 25 deliveries.

In the eliminator, Riaz scored a priceless cameo of 15 from 7 balls and took two wickets for just 26 runs as Peshawar defeated Quetta Gladiators by a run; all the more reason why his cameo was priceless. The Qualifier 2 against Karachi Kings was the one instance that Wahab Riaz was expensive with the ball as he conceded 36 runs from just three overs.

Personally, Riaz had a really good final against Islamabad United looking from an all-round perspective. He scored a 14-ball 28 with the bat and took 2/28 with the ball. However, Islamabad United won the tournament with 3.1 overs to spare with the winning six coming off Riaz’s over.

Nevertheless, Wahab Riaz ended the tournament as the joint highest wicket-taker along with Faheem Ashraf with 18 wickets at an economy of 6.9. He is currently the highest wicket-taker in PSL history with 48 wickets.

Follow Sportskeeda for all the updates on PSL 2019 schedule news, points table, live scores and fantasy tips.

#1. Luke Ronchi

Ronchi set the record for the most number of runs in a single season of the PSL

The 36-year old Kiwi batsman had a disastrous start to the PSL as he scored 3 and 0 for Islamabad United in his first two matches respectively. However, he came back well in his third game with a 26-ball 43 which unfortunately came in a losing cause.

Ronchi scored his second duck of the tournament in his fourth match before scoring a match-winning knock of 71 from 37 deliveries against Karachi Kings. He followed this with a 41-ball 77 against Lahore Qalandars. The former Trans-Tasman international continued to impress throughout the league stage as Islamabad United topped the table.

In the first qualifier against Karachi Kings, Ronchi smashed 94 from just 39 deliveries to take Islamabad United to the final. In the final against Peshawar Zalmi, Ronchi smashed a 26-ball 52 to give his team a flying start in the run-chase of 149. Islamabad United eventually won the match and Ronchi was adjudged the Man of the Match.

The 36-year old was also adjudged the Man of the Tournament thus becoming the first player to be adjudged the Man of the Match in the final and the Man of the Tournament in a single season of the PSL. He was the top scorer of the tournament with 435 runs which is the most number of runs scored in a single season of the PSL. He averaged 43.50 which is also the highest average by a batsman in a single season of the PSL.

Follow Sportskeeda for all the updates on PSL 2019 schedule news, points table, live scores and fantasy tips.