Sultans Struggle with Only One Win in PSL 10

LAHORE: Multan Sultans’ captain, Mohammad Rizwan, expressed concerns on Friday regarding his team’s bowling performance in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10, highlighting their inability to maintain consistency throughout matches as a recurring issue.

The Sultans, currently at the bottom of the league table, managed to post a competitive score of 185/3, largely due to half-centuries from captain Rizwan and Kamran Ghulam.

The team also began their bowling spell strongly, restricting Qalandars to 45/2 within the initial 6.1 overs. However, a 49-run partnership for the third wicket, followed by a decisive 89-run partnership for the fifth wicket, enabled Qalandars to secure the victory.

Rizwan commented during the post-match presentation that while their batting performance was adequate, fielding lapses and the failure to consistently take wickets were critical factors contributing to their loss.

Key Factors Behind Defeat
  • Batting unit yielded a par total
  • Fielding errors
  • Inability to take wickets at regular intervals

“Shaheen Afridi mentioned during the toss that a score between 150 and 160 would be competitive, and I agreed that we had a sufficient total. However, constant dropping of catches makes winning impossible, regardless of the score you are defending,” Rizwan stated.

“We started exceptionally well with the new ball, with Hasnain and Josh Little delivering strong performances. However, maintaining this momentum remains a challenge. While we perform well initially, we often falter towards the end,” he added.

The wicketkeeper-batsman also lamented the absence of a specialized bowler for the middle overs, which he identified as a significant difference between the Sultans and other teams.

“We are encountering difficulties during the middle overs due to the lack of specialist bowlers suited for this phase,” Rizwan explained.

“This is a key differentiator; other teams can secure wickets in the middle overs, whereas we struggle to do so,” he further noted.

Mohammad Rizwan acknowledged that this defeat has placed the Sultans in a precarious situation, where further losses would make them reliant on the outcomes of other teams’ matches.

“We believed there was still a chance, but now the situation has become significantly tougher. If we lose one or two more games, our fate will depend on other teams, a position I prefer to avoid.

“In franchise cricket, it’s necessary to both critique and support players. We address mistakes, but it’s frustrating when the same errors are repeated.”