LAHORE-Former Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas has said that Pakistan Super League (PSL) is a giant step forward for unearthing new talent and to provide them a platform to showcase their talent and become quality cricketers in due course of time.

“Look at the players who have been inducted in Pakistan cricket team in recent years ,they are the find of the PSL and they got into the lime light by showing their class in their respective departments of the game during the previous editions of the PSL,” he said here on Monday.

The former ICC president said pace bowlers Hasan Ali, Rumman Raees, all-rounder M Nawaz, spinner Shadab Khan and batsman Fakhar Zaman were the finds of the previous editions of the PSL and this year paceman Shaheen Afridi and batsmen Talat Hussain and Salman Agha have impressed with their talent. “There are few other promising cricketers who are part of the PSL but they are in the process of making,” he said.

“Finding talent from the PSL is an unending process and it will strengthen our National cricket in years to come as well and by that way we will be able to find variety of players mainly in batting and bowling,” he added.

Zaheer said the PSL is also helping the players to nourish their talent by playing alongside world’s top notch cricketers during the league matches which is adding to their confidence and also lifting the level of their game to a high level. “With passage of time and new talent pouring in we will be having plenty of talent in our national cricket which will make our team capable of attaining desired results mainly due to the presence of young talent,” he said.

The former captain said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) deserves praise for making the PSL a huge success as the event is liked by the fans across the globe and it has set certain bench marks as far quality of cricket and thrill in the matches are concerned. “From its first edition till now (third edition), PSL liking graph is going up, given the fact that it is being played in parts at UAE and in Pakistan and if the entire PSL is staged in Pakistan, it will be having deep rooted impact on Pakistan cricket as the players will be playing in their own backyard amid presence of foreign players,” he said.

To a query, he said that the PSL at home will be instrumental in bringing back international cricket to Pakistan and still it is playing its part in addressing this issue. “The PSL final at Lahore last year was the breakthrough in ensuring the return of international cricket to Pakistan and it was good to see World XI and then Sri Lankan team visiting the country. The PCB is working hard to revive international cricket and PSL is an added advantage in achieving this objective,” he added.