PSL 9 Best XI: Babar Azam, Imad Wasim steal the limelight
Islamabad United won their third PSL title
The Pakistan Super League (PSL) season nine saw exceptional performances throughout as the tournament concluded with Islamabad United winning over Multan Sultans at the National Bank Stadium, Karachi.
This is United's third PSL title while Sultans suffered three straight losses in the final. Some stars had a great tournament and lit up the tournament in a great way.
Here is the Best XI, a list containing players who stepped up for their sides and created records.
1- Saim Ayub
Peshawar Zalmi's Saim Ayub was at the top of his game throughout PSL 9 with both bat and ball. Many were surprised by his emergence as an off-spinner as he became Babar Azam's main weapon.
The 21-year-old smacked 345 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 157.53. The left-hander smacked 21 sixes, the most by any in this year's competition.
Meanwhile, he took eight wickets at an economy rate of 7.45.
2- Babar Azam
Zalmi's captain Babar Azam did what he does best with the bat. He looked like a different batter altogether where he batted with a better strike rate.
Spanning across 11 matches, Azam exhibited his batting brilliance, accumulating a total of 569 runs. His highest score of 111 not out against United in Lahore was the highlight of the first leg.
With an impressive average of 56.9, Azam proved to be a formidable force in the tournament. Moreover, his strike rate of 142.6 reflected his ability to accumulate runs steadily and accelerate when required.
He also became the second batter to hit the most runs in a single edition of the PSL, bettering his own record 554 runs in 2021 edition.
3- Usman Khan (wk)
Usman Khan, playing as an overseas pro, came into the Multan Sultans' playing XI after four games but it didn't bother him to score a plethora of runs.
With a total of 430 runs amassed at an impressive average of 107.5 in just seven innings, he undeniably stood out as one of the standout performers in the league. He registered two fifties and as many centuries with a strike rate of 164.12.
4- Rassie van der Dussen
Lahore Qalandars had a disastrous PSL 9 campaign as they won only one game. But South Africa's Rassie van der Dussen made his presence felt with his aggressive batting.
The 35-year-old batting in only seven innings as his time with Qalandars was cut short because of national commitments but he demonstrated remarkable consistency and skill, amassing a total of 364 runs at an impressive average of 72.8 and a strike rate of 154.89.
He is one of the centurions of this year's competition, scoring unbeaten 104 against Peshawar Zalmi in Lahore.
5- Reeza Hendricks
Another South African Reeza Hendricks make the cut into the best XI with his performances in the early stages of the competition.
The right-handed batter was pivotal as an anchor batter for the 2021 champions. He accumulated 304 runs at a strike rate of 134.51 in eight innings, powered by three fifties.
6- Shadab Khan (C)
PSL 9 winning captain Shadab Khan displayed his all-round performance in the PSL 9. He led from the front in all departments of the game and mostly had an upper hand on the opposition due to his aggressive approach.
He batted up the order while taking wickets at a crucial juncture of the game. He scored 305 runs at an average of 43.42 while taking 14 wickets.
7- Iftikhar Ahmed
Iftikhar Ahmed did justice to his 'Ifti Mania' tag with some blistering hitting for Sultans. The 33-year-old looked with a different flair compared to other batters with his ball striking.
In 11 innings, the right-handed batter had a strike rate of 193.28 and made 259 runs and smashed 17 sixes, the second most in the tournament
8- Imad Wasim
Playing his first season for United, Imad Wasim didn't have a great start to the PSL but he came into his own in the latter stages of the competition. While his side needed qualification for the playoffs, he led his side to win with the bat in the last stage of the game, hitting two boundaries to pull off the game.
Meanwhile, he returned with figures of 3/12 in Eliminator 1 followed by a match-winning knock of 59 off just 40 balls in Eliminator 2 while chasing.
In the final, he bagged figures of 5/23 and became the first bowler to claim a fifer in a PSL final. With 12 wickets at an economy rate of 6.60 and 126 runs with the bat, the 35-year-old was pivotal in United's winning campaign.
9- David Willey
Sultans' experienced overseas pro David Willey was lethal with the new ball. The Englishman played a key role for his side throughout. In 11 games, he bagged 14 wickets at an impressive economy rate of 7.60.
10- Naseem Shah
Coming after a shoulder injury, Naseem Shah seemed he never went away. The spearhead of United's attack bagged 15 wickets in 11 innings.
He also chipped in with the bat on a few instances, mainly in the final where he smashed a 9-ball 17 with the help of two fours and a six.
11- Usama Mir
Leg-spinner Usama Mir ended as the highest wicket-taker with 24 scalps. He became the first spinner to bag as many wickets in a single edition of the PSL.
He was pivotal for captain Mohammad Rizwan, providing strikes at vital stages of the game.
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