Former head coach Waqar Younis has said the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has brought significant improvement in Pakistan's Twenty20 cricket and has constantly been throwing new talent to the fore. "I think if you look at the shorter version, you feel there are significant improvements and that are mainly due to the PSL," said Waqar, who is the director for defending champions Islamabad United.
Waqar said PSL introduces new talent for Pakistan and then it's the PCB who has to take them to newer heights. "Every PSL throws some good talent, there are some good players who have come to the fore from Islamabad United," he said. He said, "I am very impressed with Shaheen Shah Afridi. I think after the emergence of the players from the PSL, PCB's responsibility increases - to groom these players. This is a stepping stone and you see U19 players who are coming through."
Waqar said, "The young players are the future of Pakistan. The franchisees give them a chance, of course, the franchisees want to win but they also groom these players and after that the PCB comes and groom them." He stressed Pakistan needs to put more focus on first-class cricket. He said, "Our focus is more on PSL and we need to have the same focus on our first-class cricket. I keep hearing that changes are coming, sponsors are merging with the regions so, may be, after a few years we will see changes and we will start producing the kind of players for Tests as well what we have seen in the PSL."
He said, "Of course, IPL is at the top, there is no doubt. PSL is getting bigger and better. The need is that one day it should fully be staged in Pakistan. Once it is fully staged in Pakistan, it will probably become one of the biggest leagues. This time we have eight matches in Pakistan, next year, may be, we have more than half matches in Pakistan. The things are rolling and in the next three years we will have the full league in Pakistan."
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