5 Pakistani talents who could go on to become superstars

Pakistan have been a team known to generate superstars of world cricket. Right from the legendary Imran Khan to the current veterans, Younis Khan and Misbah ul Haq, a stream of talented players have graced the International stage from Pakistan.

In the last few years, they have found their groove in Test matches under the captaincy of Misbah and have proved to be a formidable force in the UAE.

A lot of talented players have found their way into the team during Misbah's tenure and it will be a surprise if Pakistan do not make their way up the ODI table as well, where they are currently languishing near the bottom half.

With plenty of newbies coming into the team, we make a humble attempt at picking out five youngsters who could go on to be superstars.

#1 Sami Aslam

An opener who benefitted from the poor form of veteran Mohammad Hafeez, Aslam has shown enough promise in the limited chances he has got at the top of the order in Tests.A batsman who holds the record for the most number of runs by an U-19 player, Aslam has carried the form into International cricket.

His ODI debut against Bangladesh was promising as he made a solid 45. His Test debut was even better as he replaced Hafeez and made 82 and 70. His temperament and technique have come in for special praise and he could be the missing link for Pakistan at the top of the batting line-up.

#2 Mohammad Amir

Mohammad Amir is possibly Pakistan’s best paceman

The young left-arm fast bowler has already had his share of newspaper headlines. From delivering a memorable spell in Australia at the age of 19 to an unwise attempt at spot-fixing, followed by the ban and a hyped return, Amir has seen it all.

But beneath all the controversies lie a sensational talent capable of swinging the ball late and either way. Even after serving his five-year ban, Amir is still below 25 years of age and has a long career in front of him.

He has all the quintessential qualities required in a pace bowler and a flawless action to back up his skills. Amir has 66 wickets in 19 Tests with a best of 6/84 and 37 wickets in 24 ODIs.

#3 Babar Azam

Babar Azam has taken the world by storm in the last few months

The young Babar Azam was always considered a talented cricketer. But all that came to the fore in the recent ODIs against West Indies, where he slammed three consecutive hundreds. Centuries in each of the 3 ODIs of the series helped Pakistan whitewash the West Indies.

Just 21 years of age, he has shown maturity well beyond his age and established himself at no.3 in the Pakistan limited-overs team.

Azam's rise has been constant ever since he debuted in May 2015, scoring half centuries with considerable regularity before his real breakthrough series. His recent form earned him a spot in the Test team for the matches against West Indies and even scored a half-century on Test debut. This young star could go on to be a pillar in the Pakistan batting line-up.

#4 Imad Wasim

Imad Wasim could play an important role after Yasir Shah’s exit

The Wales-born Pakistani all-rounder has made a name for himself as a quality containing spinner and lower order batsman. Wasim made his debut in May 2015 in limited overs cricket and quickly made himself a valuable asset for the team.

His tight lines and subtle tricks made him a handy spinner in the shorter formats. He has wafted along with the tail enders on more than a few occasions with the bat. Wasim averages 44.83 after 24 matches with three half-centuries to his name. He also has 19 wickets including a five-wicket haul. His economy rate of 4.58 has been the notable part of his International career so far.

Given that Yasir Shah is in his late 30s, Pakistan need a quality spinner as back up. Wasim is the right candidate to fill in that slot. A more than decent ability with the bat underlines his importance in the setup.

#5 Mohammad Nawaz

Nawaz is a handy all rounder

A spinner in the mould of Imad Wasim, Nawaz was initially a left arm seamer before changing himself to a spinner on slow and low tracks. After his first class debut in 2012, Nawaz made his name as a hard-hitting batsman with an ability to ball left arm spin.

He made 3 hundreds and a handful of half centuries pretty early in his first-class career while also taking wickets at a regular strike rate.

The inaugural Pakistan Super League catapulted him into the Pakistan T20 squad. The 13 wickets in the PSL and an ability to make quick runs caught the eyes of the selectors.

Nawaz has already started proving his worth in the International arena with 10 wickets in 8 matches and a well compiled half century. There is more to come from this talented lad.