The Pakistan Super League kicked off its eighth edition on February 13 with two closely contested matches. In the opening match, Lahore Qalandars defeated Multan Sultans by a narrow margin of one run, while Peshawar Zalmi edged out Karachi Kings by just two runs in the second match. 

This match was especially significant for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it marked Babar Azam’s return to face the Kings since he left the franchise last year. Secondly, Mohammad Amir made a controversial remark about Babar before the match and played for the Kings in the game against Babar-led Zalmi.

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Amir caused a stir ahead of the Kings’ opening match when he commented on Babar in an interview with a Pakistani news channel. He suggested that bowling to Babar was no different than bowling to tailenders, which did not sit well with some players. 

“These kinds of matchups and player rivalries keep players on their toes. I personally like these sort of challenges because it keeps me focused. My job is to take wickets and win matches for my team, so facing Babar or a tailender batting at number 10 will be the same,” Amir said.

Pakistan spinner Yasir Shah criticized Amir for making such statements just before a match, saying that it could affect a player’s confidence. Although Babar is a world-class player, Yasir reminded everyone that every player can have a bad day, which is just part of the game.

“No doubt, Babar is a world-class player and performs in every format. Bowler needs one good delivery against a batter. But if you give such statements right before the match… (it isn’t good). He has confidence on himself. But he needs to realise that bowlers can have a bad day. He didn’t perform the way he is expected to,” Yasir said.

“He performed well in BPL. But this game didn’t go well for him. It’s the part of the game, but that happens.”

Unfortunately for Amir, he had a forgettable night in his team’s opening match against Zalmi. He conceded 42 runs without taking a wicket in his four overs. Despite the disappointing start, plenty of cricket is still left to play in the tournament.