South African batter Rilee Rossouw has sparked controversy with his thoughts on the differences between the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Currently playing for Quetta Gladiators in the 11th season of the PSL, the left-handed batter shared his insights on both leagues.
According to Rossouw, the IPL is known for its longer format and a strong entertainment focus, with Bollywood’s prominent involvement. In contrast, he described the PSL as a more compact and competitive tournament, with a higher intensity of play and fierce on-field competition.
“Each league has its advantages and disadvantages. The IPL is a much longer tournament, while the PSL is more condensed and the competition is definitely more intense. The IPL, with Bollywood’s backing, feels more like a film production than a cricket tournament,” Rossouw explained during the PSL.
Similarly, Australian cricketer Adam Zampa, who is currently part of Karachi Kings, explained why he preferred the PSL to the IPL. Zampa expressed dissatisfaction with the remuneration in the IPL, particularly as a specialist spinner, feeling his skills were not sufficiently valued in the league’s shorter duration.
Rilee Rossouw compares IPL and PSL. 🏆
– Rilee Rossouw said, “IPL is a very long tournament, and PSL is a much more compact tournament where the competition is a lot more fierce. IPL obviously has the whole Bollywood backing it, so it’s a lot more of a movie than actual… pic.twitter.com/yb4K01QSRL
— Sheri. (@CallMeSheri1_) April 11, 2026
What was Rossouw’s performance like in the IPL?
Rossouw’s IPL career has seen some ups and downs since his auction debut in 2011. Though he was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore, he didn’t get any playing time that season and had to wait until 2014 to make his IPL debut.
Rossouw had stints with teams like Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings in the IPL, but his journey has been marred by inconsistency and difficulties in securing a fixed position in the playing XI. Over the course of 22 matches, he has accumulated 473 runs, at an average of 23.65 and a strike rate around 153, including two fifties, and a top score of 82*.
Rossouw was picked up by the Punjab Kings for INR 8 crore in 2024 but was released ahead of the 2025 season. Despite listing himself for the 2025 mega auction with a starting price of INR 2 crore, he failed to attract any buyers.
For the PSL 2026, he was picked up by Quetta Gladiators for PKR 5.55 crore (approximately INR 1.66 crore). As of now, he has scored 79 runs in four matches at an average of 19.75 and a strike rate of 111.26. His best performance so far was a knock of 53 against Rawalpindiz on April 10.
