PSL 2022: Foreigners who proved their mettle in this year's extravaganza
In this piece we take a look at some of top foreign performers who showcased their class brilliantly in this year's event
This year's Pakistan Super League (PSL) saw some star-studded foreign players from different countries including England, Australia, Afghanistan, Ireland, and Namibia who played for the six different franchises.
As per ESPNcricinfo, there were 44 foreign players who were part of different teams, picked up in different categories.
The well-known names from Afghanistan included the star leggie Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Rahman Ullah Gurbaz.
Most numbers of foreigners in the event belong to England, including the likes of Alex Hales, Jason Roy, James Vince, while there were also some English budding players like Will Smeed and Harry Brook who showed their true potential.
James Faulkner, Ben Dunk, and Ben Cutting were the prominent participators from Australia.
Some of the players didn't have a good season as they failed to perform up to the mark, but still, many performed brilliantly and made the headlines with some wonderful match-winning performances.
Here at Geo Super, we take a look at some of the top-notch performances:
1. David Wiese (Lahore Qalandars)
The Namibian all-rounder ended this year's PSL with 168 runs and nine wickets and was instrumental in Lahore Qalandars Win in the all-important Eliminator 2 clash against Islamabad United as well as the in the final against Multan Sultans.
Till the league stages, he was having a very quiet PSL but knock-out stage turned the tables for him.
Against United, he smacked 28 runs off just eight balls with three sixes and one four, which eventually turned out to be a decisive factor as Qalandars won the do-or-die match by six runs.
It was also Wiese who delivered a brilliant last over with the ball and was awarded man of the match award for his all-around show.
And in the final as well he scored the same amount of 28 runs in just eight balls and went rampant against the Sultans' bowlers in the last over which helped his team post a huge 180-run total after early blows.
2. Rashid Khan (Lahore Qalandars)
The star Afghani leggie never fails to amaze any team he represents in the league circuit, and while playing in this year's PSL too, he was brilliant with the ball finishing with 13 scalps in nine matches.
Rashid while playing for Qalandars delivered match-turning and crucial spells.
In almost every game, he was right on the money with his accuracy, tight lines, and variations. He also dismissed Karachi Kings' captain Babar Azam twice as he seemed clueless in handling the gripping and turning deliveries.
3. Harry Brook (Lahore Qalandars)
The 23-year-old English batter showed his class as a brilliant limited-overs player. He finished this year's PSL, with 264 runs in 10 matches including a century, and a brilliant strike rate of 171.42.
Brook scored his scintillating ton in the 27th match of PSL 2022 against United, as he hit five sixes and 10 fours in a power-packed 49-ball knock.
With Fakhar Zaman, he forged an important stand after Qalandars were in early trouble, but his ton helped them post a massive 197-runs total and clinch the match by 66 runs.
His other notable and crucial knock was in the final as he scored 41 runs off just 22 balls with three sixes and a four, and also forged a fiery stand with Wiese to help Qalandars give Sultans a stiff 181-run target.
4. Imran Tahir (Multan Sultans)
Yet again, Tahir showcased his pure class and brilliance with some wonderful performances in PSL 7 which helped him finish as the fifth leading wicket-taker with 16 scalps in 12 games.
He performed brilliantly in almost every game as he was accurate with his line and lengths and used variations to great effect.
Tahir's best figures were 3-16 in four overs in the inaugural match of PSL 2022 against Kings.
5. Tim David (Multan Sultans)
The 25-year-old aggressive batter mesmerized everyone with his scintillating power-hitting display in this year's PSL.
David ended the event with 278 runs in 11 matches with two fifties along with a sensational strike rate of 194.40.
David played a blazing 71-run knock-off just 29 balls with six sixes and six fours as he smashed United bowlers to all parts of the park in the run-fest eighth match of PSL 2022 in Karachi.
And in the 13th match, against Peshawar Zalmi, David scored a fifty in just 18 balls with six sixes which was the joint-second fastest fifty in the history of PSL. David was also inducted into the PSL 2022 Team of the Tournament.
6. Rilee Rossouw (Multan Sultans)
Rossouw ended this year's event with 275 runs in 11 games with three fifties along with a healthy strike rate of 167.68.
Rossouw played a blistering 67-run knock off just 35 balls with six maximums and four fours as he enthralled the audience in an entertaining partnership with David.
Against Kings, he played an important 14-run little cameo of five balls to steer Sultans to victory in the nail-biting clash.
In Sultans' clash against Quetta Gladiators, Rossouw smashed a sensational 26 ball 71 with four sixes and nine fours to help Multan post a mammoth 245-run total.
In the Qualifier clash against Qalandars, he played a crucial knock of 65. Rossouw's name was also inducted into the PSL 2022 Team of the Tournament.
7. Alex Hales (Islamabad United)
The star English batter is known for his brutal power-hitting both at the international and league circuit.
In this year's event for United, he didn't disappoint the management either, as he scored 355 runs in nine matches with three fifties and played some brilliant match-winning knocks on crucial junctures.
Hales and his opening partner Paul Stirling formed the most destructive opening pair in this year's event as they notched fiery partnerships to provide United with an aggressive start.
Hales left United in the middle of the event before joining them for the Eliminator 1 clash against Zalmi.
Hales scored his first fifty of PSL 2022 against the Yellow Storm in the first-round match in Karachi as he notched 82 runs off 54 balls to help his team win the game easily.
The other crucial knock which he played was in the Eliminator 2 clash. He played sensibly and according to the situation as his important knock helped United win the do-or-die match by five wickets.
8. Paul Stirling (Islamabad United)
The aggressive Irish opener scored 200 runs in six matches with two fifties and maintained a brilliant strike rate of 176.99.
Sterling left United after the end of the first-round matches of PSL 2022 in Karachi due to national duty. In his team's clash against Peshawar Zalmi, Paul scored an 18-ball fifty with three sixes and seven fours.
9. Jason Roy (Quetta Gladiators)
England's hard-hitting opener who scored 303 runs in six matches with one ton and two fifties at a healthy strike rate of 170.22 joined Quetta Gladiators' side after missing out in the initial four matches.
But in just his first game of this year's event, he straight away stole the limelight with a terrific century against Lahore Qalandars at the National Stadium in Karachi.
The struggling Quetta was given a tough 205-run target to chase down against a brilliant bowling attack of Lahore, but Roy emerged as the hero with a 57-ball 116-run knock with eight sixes and 11 fours helped his team chase down the massive total. He smashed the Qalandars bowlers to all parts of the park.
After that, he also scored a fifty against Islamabad United in the second-leg match in Lahore and scored his second fifty against Karachi Kings as he scored 82 runs in 54 balls to help his team win the game.
Quetta had a torrid campaign this season, as they finished fifth, but Roy was one of the top performers for them.
10. Will Smeed (Quetta Gladiators)
The 20-year-old Englishmen who scored 240 runs in six games with two fifties played some classy knocks and showed he can be an asset for his country in the future, especially in limited-overs cricket.
He showed his power-hitting skills, as he notched scores of 97 and 99 against Peshwar Zalmi on both occasions.
In the 2nd match of PSL 2022 in Karachi, Smeed played a sensational 97-run knock of just 62 balls with four sixes and 11 fours.
In the 22nd match against the same team in Lahore. Smeed scored 97 runs off just 62 balls with three sixes and 12 fours.
He smashed the Zalmi bowlers to all parts of the park, as he was removed by Slaman Irshad being one-run shy of a well-deserved hundred.
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