Usman Khawaja names Pakistan's rising stars after impressive PSL 11 stint
Former Australia batter Usman Khawaja has highlighted several emerging and established performers from his recent stint in the Pakistan Super League (PSL 11), praising young and experienced players for their impact and consistency across the tournament.Speaking in a video shared on his Instagram account, Khawaja reflected on the talent he observed while representing RawalPindiz in PSL 11 and singled out Islamabad’s young batter Sameer Minas for particular praise.He commended the youngster’s fearless strokeplay, solid batting base and composure at the crease, while also acknowledging the natural inconsistency that comes with playing T20 cricket at a young age.“Sameer Minas played for Islamabad and scored a fifty against us in Lahore. That guy whacked them. Young fella, I actually think he’s a beautiful player. He looks like he’s got a really cool base. Like all these younger guys, he smacks them. He had a couple of good innings and failed a few times as well, but that’s T20 cricket. He’s a young fella and I was really impressed,” Khawaja said.The left-handed batter praised Multan Sultans-bound Sahibzada Farhan for his explosive batting displays and remarkable consistency in domestic cricket, highlighting the opener’s ability to score big runs at a rapid pace.He stated that Farhan’s recent performances reflect a player brimming with confidence and maturity, while also backing the 30-year-old to replicate his dominant form at the international level.“Sahibzada Farhan was smacking them everywhere. He has scored so many hundreds in the last few years in such a short period. He knows how to score centuries and he doesn’t do it slowly, he scores them quickly," he said."He gets them at a strike rate of over 150 every time. He was impressive and looked like a player at the top of his game. At the age of 30, it looks like the perfect time for him to go out there and dominate in international cricket too. I really enjoyed watching him bat,” he added.Speaking about the emerging fast-bowling talent in the PSL, he reserved special praise for young pacer Ali Raza, highlighting the teenager’s raw pace, smooth bowling action and ability to trouble batters consistently throughout the tournament.Khawaja noted that despite several fast bowlers impressing with their speed in the PSL, Raza’s performances stood out due to his control, aggression and match-winning impact, including a memorable hat-trick during the competition.“Ali Raza was absolute heat. He was bowling at 150 consistently and he’s still a young fella. I loved his run-up and his action. Everything looked so smooth and then he just went bang. He even got a hat-trick in one of the games. He’s very exciting and although there are a few bowlers touching 150 in the PSL, he really stood out. He’s definitely one to look out for,” he stated.The 39-year-old heaped praise on veteran all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed for his impactful performances during the tournament, highlighting his ability to reinvent himself and contribute in crucial moments for Zalmi.He lauded Iftikhar’s clever use of variations with the new ball and credited him for playing a decisive role in several victories, including the team’s successful title-winning campaign.“Iftikhar Ahmed has to be my favourite youngster. Cha-cha, how good was he? He reinvented himself by opening the bowling and delivering those clever variations with the new ball. He won Quetta a few games for sure and made a huge difference in several matches. They went on to win the final and eventually the tournament as well. So, a big shout-out to Cha-cha — love your work, brother,” he concluded.
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