PSL 10 is heating up—and not just on the field. Off the pitch, former captains Mohammad Yousuf and Shahid Afridi have stirred up a fresh debate around Lahore Qalandars’ selection strategy. At the center of the discussion? A young, relatively unknown opener named Mohammad Naeem.
When Lahore Qalandars handed the 22-year-old Naeem the opening slot alongside Fakhar Zaman, a lot of fans—and even experts—were left scratching their heads. Yousuf was blunt, as always.
“I’ve heard Mohammad Naeem’s name for the first time. Has he even played first-class cricket?” he said during a local sports show.
“They have someone like Mohammad Akhlaq, a proper domestic performer. How do you justify picking someone this raw?”
It’s a fair question. Before making his PSL debut, Naeem had played just five T20s, scoring 85 runs in total.
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Since joining the Qalandars’ XI, he’s managed 8 and 10 runs in his first two outings. So far, that’s 18 runs across two games—not the kind of start that builds confidence, either for the player or the team.
Shahid Afridi, never one to shy away from expressing his views, took a more subtle shot. Referring to Lahore’s Players Development Program (PDP)—an initiative known for scouting untapped talent—Afridi said: “Credit bhi to lena hai.”
Translation? Sometimes, franchises get caught up in the idea of discovering the next big thing, even at the cost of proven performers.
To be fair, the Qalandars didn’t have the smoothest start. They lost their tournament opener to Islamabad United. But they did bounce back—big time—with a 79-run win over Quetta Gladiators. That win eased some pressure, but the concern about Naeem’s place in the XI still lingers
Let’s give some benefit of the doubt here. Maybe Lahore’s management sees long-term potential in Mohammad Naeem. Maybe they believe throwing him into the deep end is the fastest way for him to grow. And yes, PSL has a history of uncovering hidden gems.
All eyes now shift to Lahore’s big match against Karachi Kings—the El Clasico of PSL. If Naeem gets another chance, it might just be his last opportunity to silence the critics. And if he doesn’t deliver, calls for experience over experimentation will only grow louder.
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