Pakistan Cricket in the Modern Era: PSL, Babar Azam, and Rebuilding
After the Cronje scandal, the 2009 Lahore attack, and security constraints, Pakistan cricket rebuilt through the PSL and a new generation of players. Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and the post-Imran generation.
The 2009 Lahore Attack and Its Aftermath
On 3 March 2009, gunmen attacked the Sri Lanka cricket team bus in Lahore, killing 6 policemen and wounding several players. The incident ended international cricket in Pakistan for six years. Pakistan played their 'home' series in the UAE — neutral venues in Dubai and Abu Dhabi — for a decade. Without home advantage, without familiar pitches and crowds, Pakistan's Test results became less consistent. The financial impact on Pakistan cricket, which cannot sell domestic ground rights for international matches, was significant.
The Pakistan Super League: 2016
The Pakistan Super League launched in 2016 and became the vehicle for Pakistan cricket's revival. Played initially in the UAE, it returned to Pakistan in 2017 with select matches in Lahore, then progressively expanded until full PSL seasons were held in Pakistan by 2020. The PSL created a talent discovery mechanism for Pakistani domestic cricket similar to the IPL's role in India — identifying young talent through high-exposure T20 cricket and providing a financial incentive for players to develop their game.
The Return of International Cricket
International cricket returned to Pakistan progressively. Sri Lanka toured in 2019. England toured for a T20 series in 2022. New Zealand, Australia, and England all played full Test series in Pakistan from 2022-23 onwards. The crowds — Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi — were extraordinary. Pakistani fans, who had waited 14 years for home Test cricket, created an atmosphere that visiting teams described as among the most intense they had experienced anywhere. England's Bazball tour of Pakistan in 2022, in which they won 3-0 on turning pitches, was one of cricket's more surprising results of the decade.
Babar Azam: The New Standard
Babar Azam emerged in the late 2010s as Pakistan's best batsman since the Imran-Javed era and one of the best in the world across formats. By 2022 he was simultaneously ranked number one in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is — a feat only Bradman had previously achieved in any format combination. Technically orthodox, with elegant drives through the covers and sound judgment outside off stump, Babar restored Pakistan batting's reputation for classical correctness after years in which T20 flair had sometimes overshadowed technique. His Test average above 50 puts him among the finest of his generation.
Shaheen Shah Afridi: The New Wasim
Shaheen Shah Afridi debuted in 2019 and immediately showed the skills that would make him one of the best fast bowlers in the world. Left-arm, tall, with a smooth action that generates extreme swing with the new ball, Shaheen's ability to dismiss top-order right-handed batsmen — swinging the ball into their bodies from around the wicket — recalled comparisons with Wasim Akram. His 3 wickets in the first 3 overs of the 2021 T20 World Cup semi-final against India — removing Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Virat Kohli in quick succession — announced him to a global audience.
PSL's Wider Impact on Pakistan Cricket
The PSL has had broader structural effects on Pakistan cricket beyond star players. It has funded grassroots cricket development, created a second tier of professional cricketers who are financially secure, and brought cricket back to regions of Pakistan — particularly Lahore and Peshawar — that had been cut off from international cricket for a generation. Pakistan's U-19 team's success at the 2022 World Cup — winning the tournament — and their U-19 players' progression into senior cricket within three years, represents a structural dividend from the PSL era's investment in young talent.