Rizwan Attributes Sultans’ Downfall to Repeated Errors

LAHORE: Mohammad Rizwan, the captain of Multan Sultans, voiced his dismay after his team’s premature elimination from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 on Thursday.

After electing to bat, the Kings posted an imposing 204/4 in their 20 overs, largely due to James Vince’s half-century.

Vince spearheaded the Kings’ batting lineup with an undefeated 65 from 45 balls, which included five boundaries and a pair of sixes.

Furthermore, Muhammad Irfan Khan (40) and Khushdil Shah (33), who batted in the middle order, provided significant contributions late in the innings to propel their total beyond 200.

For the Sultans, Ubaid Shah secured two dismissals but proved expensive, conceding 49 runs in his four overs. Curtis Campher and David Willey each claimed one wicket.

In pursuit of a challenging 205-run target, the Sultans’ batting lineup collapsed, scoring only 117 in 16.1 overs, resulting in their elimination from PSL 10.

Reflecting on his team’s disappointing performance, Mohammad Rizwan emphasized that the continual repetition of the same errors was the reason for the 2021 champions’ failure.

“I believe our journey in the tournament has concluded,” Rizwan stated following the match.

“This likely simplifies the situation for the other teams, as the qualification scenarios are now more straightforward. We surrendered momentum at crucial junctures, which is pivotal in T20 cricket, and this ultimately led to our defeat. Regrettably, we consistently made the same mistakes.”

Notably, the Sultans had a poor beginning to PSL 10, suffering a four-wicket loss to Karachi Kings in their opening match.

They then suffered two further defeats against Islamabad United, the defending champions, and Peshawar Zalmi, before finally achieving their first victory in the tournament, defeating Lahore Qalandars by 33 runs at home.

However, the former champions were unable to extend their victorious streak and suffered four consecutive defeats, officially ending their chances of qualifying for the PSL 10 playoffs.