PSL 9 has turned out to be fantastic for certain players, with Babar Azam standing out the most. He started the year in fine form but has really shone as an even better batter in this PSL. In addition, players like Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmad, and Usama Mir have made significant impacts in PSL 9 final. On the flip side, there are players who have let the fans down with their performances this season. Let’s explore some of the players who were impressive last season but have failed to deliver this time around.
Number Five: Tom Kohler-Cadmore: This season has been a tough one for Tom Kohler-Cadmore, the English cricketer who plays in the middle order for Peshawar Zalmi. Last season, in PSL 8, he made a significant impact for Peshawar Zalmi, scoring 325 runs across 12 innings at a notable strike rate of 160. His impressive performance was a key reason why Peshawar Zalmi chose to retain him ahead of PSL 9.
However, this season, his performance has dramatically differed from last year’s achievements. In 8 innings this year, he’s only managed to accumulate 121 runs, with a strike rate of 110 and an average of 15. Known for his ability to hit the ball hard and far, TKC was the joint second-highest six-hitter in the previous season, hitting 21 sixes. But this season, he has struggled to replicate that form, managing to hit the ball over the boundary only 3 times. This drop in performance places him at the 5th spot on our list of this season’s disappointments.
Number Four: Rilee Rossouw: For Quetta Gladiators’ Captain Rilee Rossouw, this season has been incredibly disappointing. Looking at his stats from last year, he was the 3rd best batter in the PSL 8, only behind Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam. Last season, playing for Multan Sultans, he scored 453 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 171, which included an impressive century.
However, it seems a change in franchise this year has also changed his fortune. Rilee Rossouw, who has a PSL career strike rate of 144 and an average of 34, has been struggling this season with a strike rate of 107 and an average of 15. Additionally, last season he was the second-highest six-hitter of the tournament with 21 sixes, but this season his count of sixes is only 3. Therefore, Rilee Rossouw has proven to be one of the major flops of the season.
Number Three: Shan Masood: Just like Rilee Rossouw, parting ways with the Sultans didn’t turn out well for Shan Masood either. He is among the PSL’s top scorers historically. Yet, this year, he ended up being the league’s slowest opener, with a strike rate of only 101. Taking this into account, he even tried batting at the one-down position in the last two league stage matches, but unfortunately, he didn’t succeed. Over the season, he managed to score just 158 runs across 10 innings, with a strike rate of 105.
Number Two: Mohammad Haris: For the young, exciting wicket-keeper batter, this season has largely been a disappointment, except for a couple of innings. Mohammad Haris couldn’t leave his mark. Last year, he boasted the highest strike rate in the PSL 8. But within a year, his strike rate has plummeted from 186 to 132. And if we remove his two cameos in the playoffs, his strike rate would fall even further, barely touching 110. The aggressive style of batting that Mohammad Haris adopts always carries a certain level of risk. Regardless of the outcome, no one can doubt Mohammad Haris’s intention and aggression when he is on the crease.
Number One: Fakhar Zaman: Known as the king of hitting sixes in the PSL, Fakhar Zaman has been completely off-color this season. In terms of performance, PSL 9 has been the worst year of his career. His poor performance has caused significant damage to the Qalandars.
As a senior member of the team, he has utterly failed to fulfill his responsibilities, which has been a major reason for Lahore Qalandars‘ disappointing performance in PSL 9. This season, he has scored only 157 runs in 8 innings at a strike rate of just 115. Moreover, he was the highest six-hitter in PSL 8 with 27 sixes, but this year, he has managed to hit only 4 sixes. With this performance, Fakhar Zaman has proven to be the biggest flop of PSL 9 Final.
The PSL 9 Final is scheduled today on March 18, 2024, where Multan Sultans and Islamabad United will compete for the championship title. For more interesting stats and insights, visit Howzdat Live Blog.
