Dubai: To go or not to go to Pakistan is Shane Watson’s dilemma. The eliminator and the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is to be held in Lahore and Karachi respectively and Watson, who after steering Quetta Gladiators to an emphatic 67 runs over Karachi Kings on Thursday, is unable to make up his mind.
Cricket and his deep love for the Pakistan fans is beckoning him to play in Pakistan especially after posting the highest score in the third edition so far through his unbeaten 90.
“I have to sit down with my family to be able to really work through what the right decision is for my family and I,” remarked the former Australian all-rounder when asked whether he will fly to Pakistan for the last leg of the PSL
Watson then said that it is a decision that he cannot make all by himself: “It is just not my decision. It is my mum’s and dad’s and wife’s as well. We will all sit down” to discuss the options.”
But Watson added why he would love to visit Pakistan and play in front of the crowd there. “The best part of the Pakistani culture is that they’re beautiful people and they love their cricket as much as I do. It is great to go places where people share the same love of cricket.”
Watson expressed his happiness over the decision to stage the final round in Pakistan and sympathised with the fans who are able to watch their heroes only on television. “Can’t imagine how tough it would be, growing up, not being able to watch my idols play cricket. It’s a great thing cricket is being played in Pakistan.”
With only a few more days to go for the eliminator and final of the PSL, all foreign players in the PSL are now asked whether they will go to Pakistan. When Quetta Gladiators and former England captain Kevin Pietersen was asked whether he would play in Pakistan, he quickly remarked that he wouldn’t.
Peshawar Zalmi and former West Indies captain Darren Sammy without hesitation declared that he would go play again in the PSL like he did in the second edition if his team will qualify for the final stage.
New Zealand’s opener and Islamabad United’s most consistent batsman Luke Ronchi, after bagging the man of the match award through a whirlwind knock of 77 against Lahore Qalandars on Thursday, when asked whether he would visit Pakistan he said: ‘Yes, yes, yes. It has been a brilliant tournament so far and the skill level is really high. The beauty of PSL is that the guys you have never heard of before come and bowl at 140kph and whack the balls miles away.” Incidentally, the PSL has decided that foreign players will be paid $10,000 per match to play in Pakistan.
