Kolkata: Bangladesh’s all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan said he thoroughly enjoyed his stint with the Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and even looked forward to playing in Pakistan again. “I last played in Pakistan in 2008. It was an amazing experience for me,” said Shakib. “The crowd, the ground, the environment, the fans and the atmosphere were all fabulous. I really wish to play again in Pakistan once things get better,” he added.
Shakib and the other Bangladeshi players in the PSL will be leaving the league on February 28 due to international commitments and hence Shakib will be unavailable for the final to be held in Lahore (if everything falls into place) even if his team gets through to the summit clash.
The Number One all-rounder in both the ODI and T20 formats accompanied his national team to Sri Lanka for a month-long tour. He wrapped up his PSL stint on Saturday night, having seen his side through to the qualifiers. Shakib felt the atmosphere would have been more electric had the competition been held in Pakistan instead of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“If the PSL was held In Pakistan, then it would have garnered much more passion and excitement than it has here in the UAE,” he said. “Right now the situation is a bit difficult back in Pakistan but I hope someday this all will get better and Pakistan will start hosting international tournaments and series again,” he elaborated.
Yet he acknowledged the efforts of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for organising the league which he believes is up there with the other T20 leagues around the world. “It is a great success for Pakistan cricket; it is almost to the standard of other T20 leagues taking place around the world. The Pakistan Cricket Board must be lauded for holding such a quality tournament. All the leagues around the world give you a chance to interact with players from other countries but few succeed in creating the kind of environment that the PSL has,” he said.
(With inputs from The Express Tribune)