Sarfaraz Ahmed names four emerging players who can shine in PSL 9

Former captain of Quetta Gladiators, Sarfaraz Ahmed, has unveiled his picks for the next wave of cricketing talent primed to make a mark in the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 9.

In an exclusive interview with Cricket Pakistan, Ahmed's keen eye for talent has singled out four emerging players whom he believes hold the potential to shine brightly on the PSL stage.

"Every team has been looking at upcoming and emerging players. Speaking of our team, we have Adil Naz, whom I've seen playing for the Abbottabad team; he's a very promising fast bowler. Apart from him, there's Khawaja Nafay, who is also very promising; he's new and has recently played for the Sindh team" Sarfaraz said.

“Saad Baig, who is the captain of Pakistan U19, is another one to watch out for, along with Mehran Mumtaz. When the opportunity arises, they could be great prospects for the Pakistan team,” he added.

It is important to highlight Saad Baig's immense potential as a standout talent within Pakistan's U19 team. He has led the junior national squad in major ICC and ACC tournaments, such as the U19 World Cup 2024 and the U19 Asia Cup 2023.

During the U19 Asia Cup, Baig led his team admirably, guiding them to the semi-finals with victories over India-U19, Afghanistan-U19, and Nepal-U19, finishing atop the standings undefeated. However, their journey was halted by an unexpected loss to UAE-U19 in the semi-final, resulting in their elimination from the tournament.

Similarly, in the U19 World Cup 2024 group stage, Pakistan displayed dominance with an unbeaten run, securing four consecutive wins. Despite their strong performance, they faced disappointment in the semi-final against Australia, bowing out of the tournament after a fiercely contested match.