Though Pakistani players have not been a part of the IPL since its inception, legendary speedster Shoaib Akhtar wants Babar Azam to open alongside Virat Kohli in the T20 league some day.
Since its inception in 2008, Pakistani cricketers have not had the fortune to participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL) owing to political tensions between the two countries. However, to date, fans and cricket pundits discuss at length several hypothetical scenarios when it comes to fees and franchises some of the top Pakistani players would attract if the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) allowed them to play in the cash-rich T20 league. Veteran speedster Shoaib Akhtar is one such person who has joined the discussion.
Akhtar, who was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2008, has voiced his desire to see in-form Babar Azam be part of the IPL. The Rawalpindi Express has also put a huge hypothetical price tag on the Pakistani skipper, who has made massive inroads in all formats of the game.
Also read: IPL 2022: RCB's Virat Kohli turns fitness guru for PBKS's Bhanuka Rajapaksa
In a chat with Sportskeeda, Akhtar also added that he aspires to see Babar Azam and Virat Kohli open the innings together for an IPL franchise one day. Although this appears to be highly unlikely given the scenario around the non-participation of Pakistani players in IPL, the legendary speedster is keen to see the Pakistani ace batter in action along with Indian cricket's current poster-boy.
Meanwhile, Akhtar also believes that if Babar Azam joins the IPL mega auction pool, then the Pakistani batter would fetch around Rs 15 to 20 crore.
"It would be great to see Babar Azam and Virat Kohli opening the innings together in the IPL one day. What an exciting moment that would be. In the auction, Babar would go for 15-20 crore INR and could be the most expensive Pakistan player," Akhtar told SportsKeeda.
At present, the most expensive foreign player in IPL auction history is former South African all-rounder Chris Morris, who was lapped up by Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2021. Among Indians, Yuvraj Singh holds the record of earning the most money from the auction pool, having been signed by Delhi Daredevils for Rs 16 crore in IPL 2015.