Former Pakistan captain and legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram has raised serious questions about the Pakistan Super League’s ability to develop elite batting talent, using India’s teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as an example of the kind of player Pakistan’s domestic system should be producing.

Akram’s comments come amid growing concern over Pakistan cricket’s broader talent-development structure. While the Pakistan Super League has established itself as one of the leading franchise-based T20 competitions, Akram believes its impact on producing top-class Pakistani batters has been limited.

The former Pakistan captain pointed out that the league has been running for a decade, yet the country has struggled to produce a young batting star who has made a comparable impact at the highest level.

Akram highlights Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s rapid rise

Akram specifically referred to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has become one of the most talked-about young cricketers in world cricket because of his extraordinary batting ability at such a young age.

Sooryavanshi has attracted attention for his aggressive stroke play, fearless approach and ability to perform against experienced opposition. His emergence has also highlighted the strength of India’s wider cricket development structure, where young players can progress through domestic cricket and franchise competitions before making the international leap.

Akram used that contrast to question Pakistan’s own talent pipeline.

The central point of his argument was not simply about producing another T20 player. Rather, he questioned why Pakistan has not been able to identify and develop a young batting talent capable of becoming a major international prospect through the PSL ecosystem.

Ten years of PSL and questions over batting talent

The PSL has completed ten years since its launch and has become an important part of Pakistan’s cricket calendar. The tournament has provided opportunities to domestic players, attracted international stars and helped several Pakistani bowlers gain exposure at a high level.

However, Akram believes the competition has not delivered the same results in batting development.

He acknowledged that Pakistan has produced bowlers through the league but argued that the absence of a similarly prominent home-grown batting star remains a major concern.

His comments therefore raise a larger question about the purpose of franchise cricket. While leagues are designed primarily as competitive entertainment tournaments, they can also play an important role in identifying emerging players and preparing them for international cricket.

For Pakistan, Akram believes that second aspect has not been successful enough.

Pakistan’s wider cricketing problems

Akram’s criticism of the PSL is part of a much broader concern about the state of Pakistan cricket.

Pakistan have struggled for consistency across formats in recent years, with repeated changes to coaching staff, selection strategies and team combinations. The instability has also affected the domestic pathway, making it harder for young players to receive a clear and sustained route toward international cricket.

Akram has previously argued that Pakistan’s problems cannot be solved simply by changing a few players or appointing new coaches. In his view, the weaknesses extend deeper into the domestic structure and the country’s approach to developing cricketers.

He has also called for greater consistency and patience, particularly in domestic cricket, where young players need sufficient opportunities to develop rather than being judged after a handful of performances.

Why Sooryavanshi has become an important comparison

Sooryavanshi’s emergence provides a striking example of how quickly a young player can become a major talking point when talent, opportunity and performance come together.

At just 15, he has already attracted significant attention for his explosive batting and ability to compete against experienced cricketers. His rise has also created debate about how India should manage his development and ensure that early success does not lead to unrealistic expectations.

The youngster’s progress illustrates the depth of India’s cricketing ecosystem, where domestic competitions, age-group cricket and franchise cricket provide multiple platforms for emerging players.

For Akram, the comparison is particularly significant because Pakistan has traditionally been known for producing outstanding individual cricketers, especially fast bowlers. The concern now is whether the country’s current system is producing enough high-quality batting talent for the next generation.

PSL’s role in developing future Pakistan stars

The PSL remains an important platform for Pakistani cricket. It gives domestic players the chance to share dressing rooms with international cricketers and compete under high-pressure conditions.

But Akram’s criticism suggests that the league’s success should not be measured only by television audiences, commercial growth or the performances of established stars.

The development of young Pakistani players should also be considered a key indicator.

A successful franchise league should ideally create a pathway in which talented youngsters move from domestic cricket into franchise cricket and eventually establish themselves internationally. If that pathway is not producing enough top-level batters, it could indicate that changes are needed in scouting, coaching, domestic competitions and player development.

Pakistan needs a stronger long-term pathway

Akram’s remarks ultimately point toward the need for a more coordinated approach to talent development in Pakistan.

Young players require regular competitive cricket, high-quality coaching and enough time to develop technically and mentally. They also need a stable domestic structure in which performances are rewarded with genuine opportunities.

Rather than relying solely on the PSL to discover future stars, Pakistan may need to strengthen the entire pathway from club cricket and domestic competitions to franchise cricket and international selection.

The challenge is particularly important in batting, where technical development often requires years of sustained work.

A warning for Pakistan cricket

Akram’s reference to Sooryavanshi is therefore more than praise for an emerging Indian cricketer. It serves as a pointed assessment of Pakistan’s own system.

India’s young batting talent has continued to attract global attention, while Pakistan has faced questions about where its next generation of elite batters will come from.

The PSL has undoubtedly played a major role in strengthening Pakistan’s T20 cricket culture and has helped several players gain international recognition. Yet Akram’s comments suggest that its decade-long history should also prompt an honest evaluation of what it has produced for Pakistan’s batting future.

For a country with such a rich cricketing history, the priority now is to ensure that promising young batters are identified early, developed patiently and given a clear route to the international stage.

Sooryavanshi’s rapid rise has provided Akram with a convenient benchmark. The larger question for Pakistan cricket is whether its existing system can produce a comparable batting talent of its own in the years ahead.