Islamabad, 16 April 2025: Sam Billings currently representing Lahore Qalandars in PSL, recently addressed a pointed question from a Pakistani journalist.
During the press conference, the reporter has asked the England cricketer to compare the the Pakistan Super League (with the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Billings acknowledged the dominance of IPL, stating it was “hard to look past” as the top global T20 competition.
Without undermining other tournaments, he noted that several leagues were working towards matching the stature of IPL but still remained behind.
The question appeared to prompt a cheeky remark from the English cricketer, who said it seemed the journalist wanted him to say something controversial.
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However, Billings remained firm in his assessment, reinforcing the position of IPL as the leading league in terms of quality and global appeal.
This incident is not the first where a press interaction involving a foreign player has steered towards India-related comparisons.
A few weeks ago, David Warner, now captaining Karachi Kings, was also asked by a Pakistani journalist about facing online backlash from Indian fans.
The question came after he went unsold in the IPL and chose to play in the PSL instead.
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Warner appeared surprised by the claim and clarified that he had not come across such criticism.
He said past scheduling issues kept him from the PSL, but he now aims to lead his team and make an impact.
As for Billings’ individual performance, the English batter has had an inconsistent run so far this season.
In three appearances, he has managed to score 69 runs, which includes a half-century in one game and a first-ball dismissal in another.
Despite its competitiveness, the PSL is still often compared to the IPL—a comparison even international players rarely dispute.
