Sultan Watch: Multan's Quest for PSL Glory

 

With PSL 8 just around the corner, are you ready to discover the secrets behind the success of one of the hottest teams in the Pakistan Super League? Multan Sultans was the latecomer to the party, joining the competition in its third edition, but they've made up for lost time in a big way. After two disappointing seasons where they failed to reach the playoffs, the Sultans underwent a major overhaul, and their fortunes changed dramatically.

From the ownership change to a winning team combination, everything seemed to fall into place, but there are two key players who joined the team in Season 5 and helped turn them into one of the top-performing sides in the league, Mohammad Rizwan (Captain) and Andy Flower (Coach). With a first-place finish in the group stage of PSL 5 and a championship win in PSL 6, the Sultans have been a force to be reckoned with, and they were runner-ups in PSL 7 after a stunning 9 wins in 10 group stage matches.

MULTAN SULTAN’S JOURNEY IN LAST SEASON – PSL 7
Team 1	Team 2	Winner	Margin
Kings	Kings	Kings	Kings
Sultans	Sultans	Sultans	Sultans
Sultans	Sultans	Sultans	Sultans
7 wickets	7 wickets	7 wickets	7 wickets
Sultans	Sultans	Sultans	Sultans
Qalandars	Qalandars	Qalandars	Qalandars
Sultans	Sultans	Sultans	Sultans
5 wickets	5 wickets	5 wickets	5 wickets
Gladiators	Gladiators	Gladiators	Gladiators
Sultans	Sultans	Sultans	Sultans
Sultans	Sultans	Sultans	Sultans
6 runs	6 runs	6 runs	6 runs

Captain and top scorer Mohammad Rizwan is the heart and soul of this talented side, and in this team review, we'll delve into why he is the most crucial player on the Sultans' roster. 

Ready for a sizzling journey through the stats of the star batter, Mohammad Rizwan? Hold on to your seats, folks, as we delve into the performance of the man who has been lighting up the cricketing world with his skills!

With the latest numbers for BPL 2023, Mohammad Rizwan has sent shockwaves across the cricketing world with his stellar performance. But that's not all! The list of top 10 Multan Sultan batsmen (most runs scored) across all PSL seasons is a testament to his incredible run-scoring abilities, with Rizwan ranking second for the most runs scored by a Multan Sultan player.

LIST OF TOP RUN GETTERS FOR MULTAN SULTAN ACROSS THE SEASONS
Player	Span	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	0	4s	6s
Shan Masood	2019-2022	35	34	0	1083	88	31.85	800	135.37	0	7	1	126	20
Mohammad Rizwan	2021-2022	24	24	5	1046	83*	55.05	822	127.25	0	11	2	103	19
Sohaib Maqsood	2018-2022	29	28	6	771	85*	35.04	559	137.92	0	6	0	66	39
RR Rossouw	2020-2022	33	31	8	669	100*	29.08	428	156.3	1	4	4	67	29
Khushdil Shah	2020-2022	35	30	13	585	70*	34.41	389	150.38	0	1	0	36	37
JM Vince	2019-2021	18	18	1	560	84	32.94	381	146.98	0	3	1	72	18
Shoaib Malik	2018-2019	20	17	5	490	65*	40.83	409	119.8	0	3	0	27	19
J Charles	2019-2022	14	12	1	325	57	29.54	213	152.58	0	2	2	35	12
TH David	2022-2022	11	11	4	278	71	39.71	143	194.4	0	2	0	20	21

Critics may argue that his style and scoring rates aren't up to par, but let's be real here - Rizwan has been one of the most consistent and prolific players, not just for the Pakistan team but also for his respective franchises. He has been dominating the tricky pitches of BPL 2023, leaving his detractors speechless.

Let’s take a closer look at the recent performance of this cricketing sensation!

Top of Form

Mohammed Rizwan is on fire! The dynamic batsman is showing the world what he's made of with his sizzling performance in the Bangladesh Premier League. With a batting average of 63, Rizwan sits comfortably at the 7th spot of the highest run-getters list in this edition of BPL and the only batter with a better average in this tournament is none other than IFTIMANIA! Critics may argue about his strike rate, but when it comes to delivering the goods, Rizwan always steps up to the plate. He's notched up four impressive fifties and was the Man of the Match in two of those nail-biting encounters. This is exactly the kind of confidence boost that Rizwan needs as he gears up to lead the Multan Sultans to yet another amazing performance in the upcoming PSL season. Get ready, folks! This is one batter you don't want to miss!

RIZWAN’S PERFORMANCE IN THIS SEASONS OF BPL
Player	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s
Mohammad Rizwan	8	8	3	316	73	63.2	251	125.89	0	4	24	12

Shan Masood, the leading run-scorer for Multan Sultans across all PSL seasons, is a force to be reckoned with! His performance in the 2022 county season and national T20 circuit was so scintillating that he made a triumphant return to the international stage. While he may have fallen short of expectations in his international appearances, he has a proven track record with the Multan Sultans that is simply unforgettable. With his impressive stats, it's no surprise that Multan has chosen to keep the superstar in their roster for another season. Get ready to see Shan Masood light up the pitch with his electrifying performance!

BREAK UP OF ALL PSL PERFORMANCES OF SHAN MASOOD
Season	Team	Mat	R	HS	4s	6s	Ave	SR
PSL 7 2022	MS	12	478	88	54	10	39.83	138.15
PSL 6 2021	MS	7	209	73	25	7	28.3	128.05
PSL 5 2020	MS	11	283	61	30	2	29.85	142.17
PSL 4 2019	MS	4	112	48	17	1	28	138.27

With his 4th place on the list of top 10 Multan Sultan batsmen (most runs scored) across all PSL seasons, Rilee Rossouw is definitely one to watch. Despite his recent lackluster performance in the South Africa t20, his history of class and excellence leaves us with high hopes for his future with Multan Sultan. Let's hope he turns things around and gives us the performance we know he's capable of!

Khushdil Shah has been a steady and reliable performer for Multan Sultan, as proven by his ranking as the 4th highest run scorer among all Multan Sultan batsmen in all PSL seasons. But when given the chance to shine on the international stage, he struggled to live up to the expectations. Fans even jeered at him during a match against England, calling him a "parchi" (a player who got lucky rather than earned his spot). This shattered his confidence and he wasn’t given a game in World T20, besides being part of the squad.

However, he seems to have bounced back with a vengeance. In the Bangladesh Premier League 2023, he's posted decent numbers, with an average of 35 and a strike rate of 161, not to mention his valuable contribution with the ball. With this newfound confidence from his bowling, he's playing freely and proving his doubters wrong. We can't wait to see what he has in store for us this season with Multan Sultan!

KHUSHDIL SHAH’S BATTING PERFORMANCE IN THIS SEASON OF BPL
Player	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	0	4s	6s
Khushdil Shah	9	8	3	176	64	35.2	109	161.46	0	1	0	13	11

And if his batting fails, he's got his trusty arm to fall back on. Fans better beware, Khushdil's comeback is real, and he's here to dominate the game!

KHUSHDIL SHAH’S BOWLING PERFORMANCE IN THIS SEASON OF BPL
Player	Mat	Inns	Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	Ave	Econ	SR	4	5
Khushdil Shah	9	8	27	0	193	8	24.12	7.14	20.2	0	0

Usman Khan has exploded onto the scene, sending shockwaves through the cricket world with his blistering performances in this year's BPL. His name first made headlines as one of the league's four centurions, but since then, his form has been a bit of a roller coaster. However, it was his explosive displays in the Abu Dhabi T10 league that seems to have earned him a spot on the Multan Sultan roster for this year's PSL. With a strike rate of over 200 and an average of 40, Usman Khan is a force to be reckoned with. He has the potential to be a game-changer for Multan this year, and cricket fans everywhere are eagerly anticipating his next big knock. Get ready to watch this star in action, as Usman Khan looks to light up the PSL with his explosive batting. 

USMAN KHAN T10 LEAGUE EXPLOITS
Player	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	0	4s	6s
Usman Khan	7	7	2	200	65	40	99	202.02	0	1	0	24	9

When it comes to bowling, Multan Sultan seems to have revamped it completely, apart from Dahani and Khushdil, there is a completely new look of their bowling unit. Let’s start from Dahani

Shahnawaz Dahani was a diamond in the rough until Multan Sultans discovered his talent and brought it to the forefront. His PSL debut in season 6 was a showcase of his raw talent, leaving fans and experts alike in awe. His impressive showings earned him a call-up to the national squad, but he's been yearning for more opportunities to prove himself on the international stage.

Off the field, Dahani is a jolly and effervescent presence, always sporting a wide grin. His infectious energy rubs off on his teammates, leading to hilarious moments that stole the show in the league. Dahani's bubbly personality and contagious smile are just as much a part of his game as his potent bowling.

After playing just two seasons of PSL, he is 2^nd on the list of top wicket takers for Multan Sultan. He has not played a lot of T20 cricket lately however his performance in Pakistan Cup was impressive and we are hoping to see the same bubbly Dahani again. 

LIST OF TOP WICKET TAKERS FOR MULTAN SULTAN ACROSS THE SEASONS
Player	Span	Mat	Inns	Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	BBI	Ave	Econ	SR	4	5
Imran Tahir	2018-2022	39	37	136	2	945	53	03-Jul	17.83	6.94	15.3	0	0
Shahnawaz Dahani	2021-2022	22	22	76.2	1	676	37	04-May	18.27	8.85	12.3	2	0
Sohail Tanvir	2018-2021	28	26	92.1	1	720	26	Apr-13	27.69	7.81	21.2	1	0
Shahid Afridi	2019-2021	22	21	67.4	0	516	19	Feb-18	27.15	7.62	21.3	0	0
Junaid Khan	2018-2020	19	18	64	0	535	19	Mar-24	28.15	8.35	20.2	0	0
Mohammad Irfan	2018-2020	27	25	94	1	649	19	Feb-19	34.15	6.9	29.6	0	0
Khushdil Shah	2020-2022	35	19	42.2	0	286	18	Apr-35	15.88	6.75	14.1	1	0
Mohammad Ilyas	2019-2020	18	16	47.4	0	419	18	Mar-27	23.27	8.79	15.8	0	0
B Muzarabani	2021-2022	10	10	34.4	0	273	15	Mar-18	18.2	7.87	13.8	0	0
DJ Willey	2022-2022	8	8	25.3	0	208	13	Mar-22	16	8.15	11.7	0	0

Multan Sultan management will be hoping that Adil Rashid fills the huge shoes of Imran Tahir who will not be a part of their squad anymore. Adil Rashid can be extremely valuable for Multan however his recent form is not too good. In recent edition of South Africa T20 league his performance has been mediocre and he is not even in the top 10 bowlers but performance of leg spinners in this league has been overall down.

ADIL RASHID’S PERFORMANCE IN CURRENT SEASON OF SOUTH AFRICA T20
Player	Mat	Inns	Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	Ave	Econ	SR	4	5
Adil Rashid	7	7	26.4	1	229	9	25.44	8.58	17.7	0	0

Ussama Mir is the latest addition to Multan Sultan's lethal leg-spinning arsenal! With the likes of Imran Tahir, Shahid Afridi, and Usman Qadir in the past, it's no surprise that the management continues to have a soft spot for leg spinners. Fresh off his ODI debut for Pakistan, Ussama is ready to light up the PSL with his sizzling form. He may have struggled in the past two seasons with Karachi Kings, but he's back and ready to unleash a storm of leg-spin magic. Get ready to watch Ussama Mir be the ace in the hole for Multan Sultan's bowling line-up this season!

Multan has several medium pacers at their disposal like Anwar Ali, Sameen Gul, Abbas Afridi and Ihsanullah however based on their stats only Ihsanullah stands out. He represented Multan in last season as well however played only two games and wasn’t able to make much of an impact however considering his current List A form he should be given more chances to make his mark.

Multan Sultans' roster has been hit by the departures of David Miller, Tim David, and Akeal Hussain, but they've struck gold with the acquisition of West Indian powerhouse Keiron Pollard! While past West Indian greats have underperformed in the PSL, Pollard is sizzling hot right now and tearing up the Emirates League T20 tournament. Currently, he's the second highest run scorer with an average of 67 and a mind-blowing strike rate of nearly 200! Get ready, PSL fans, as Pollard has the potential to dominate the league and become the reigning Sultan of Multan!

POLLARD’S PERFORMANCE IN THE LATEST EDITION OF ILT20
Player	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	0	4s	6s
KA Pollard	8	8	3	337	86	67.4	170	198.23	0	3	0	24	25

In conclusion, the Multan Sultans team has faced some setbacks with the loss of key players due to international commitments, but they've managed to bolster their roster with the inclusion of Keiron Pollard. With Pollard in top form, the Sultans have the potential to make a strong push in the upcoming season. Despite the challenges they may face, the team has a talented and determined roster that is sure to put up a good fight. We wish the Multan Sultans all the best in their upcoming season and hope that they bring their A-game to the field. Go Sultans!