With the Indian Premier League and Pakistan Super League taking place simultaneously in the two neighbouring countries, the focus has perhaps been a little too much towards the IPL, even in Pakistan. This came into focus in this past week as a number of international stars were asked to compare the PSL to the IPL – something that has annoyed Pakistan cricketers for how humiliating the question becomes, including former batter Ahmad Shahzad.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Shahzad dressed down the members of the press who were responsible for prompting questions to Kusal Mendis and Rilee Rossouw that tried to pit the IPL against the PSL, as well as criticising the South African’s response.
“Kusal Mendis is playing and performing in the PSL, and he is being asked about how he left last year to go play in the IPL. Look at what you’re doing,” Shahzad said sternly, not happy with the member of the press who had posed this question and subsequently earned nothing but silence from the Sri Lankan.
More concerning for Shahzad was the question posed to Rossouw to compare the teams, as well as the Protea batter’s response to it – particularly given that he has had a poor time of things in the PSL.
“Then you look at Rilee Roussow – you watch his performance and you can’t tell what is happening, what isn’t happening, but he is choosing to slander,” said Shahzad. “They are asking him what he thinks of IPL – now during PSL, you can’t appreciate the IPL. He said it’s a Bollywood movie, and that the competitiveness is here.”
Shahzad demands ‘technical’ answers to comparisons
Rossouw has only 79 runs in four PSL matches for Quetta Gladiators, not a great return – but the South African batter hasn’t had particularly remarkable performances in his IPL stints with RCB, DC, or PBKS either.
“When someone is taking money from you while playing PSL, do you think he will say IPL is number one? So it’s not a serious question,” continued Shahzad, hammering the reporter for asking such a question. “If he doesn’t say PSL, won’t they make his life hell? There’s very few people who can work with honesty.”
Ultimately, Shahzad provided a concerted set of reasons for why the IPL has outpaced the PSL – to do largely with the quality of domestic talent but also the international stars who turn up for each tournament, and how the quality of cricket demanded in the IPL is simply a tier above.
“There is no comparison between them, you need to make a question with some common sense. There was no purpose for this question, but even if they say it, you have to give a technical answer. It sounds like Rossouw has released some personal anger on the IPL,” said Shahzad, suggesting that it was a biased response by the South African.