Usman Khan
ISLAMABAD: Introduced in 2018 during Pakistan Super League (PSL) 3, Multan Sultans had a slow start in the PSL during its first two seasons, but the franchise rose to the top during the previous two editions, winning the title in 2021 and securing the second position in the seventh edition.
The Sultans’ current captain is Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan, who Multan Sultans roped in after Karachi Kings dumped him in 2020, where they finished third under Shan Masood’s captaincy.
Rizwan, in 2021, had appointed as the captain of the Sultans team and led them to their first-ever PSL trophy while bringing the team to the PSL 2022 final.
Multan Sultans the most successful team (by win ratio) in the PSL, with a win percentage of 57.54. The franchise also holds the record for the highest margin win (by runs) in the PSL, as they beat Quetta Gladiators by 117 runs at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 18, 2022.
Strengths
Batting is the Sultans’ main strength in that edition of the PSL, as they are massive firepower in their squad.
Tim David is an integral part of their squad, especially after scoring 278 runs last year, as his fiery and aggressive batting can always be a threat to his opponents.
Besides David, Rilee Rossouw could be a pivotal player in the upcoming tournament. After performing consistently in the Twenty-20 format in different leagues, the batter returned to the South Africa T20I side and represented the Proteas in the T20 World Cup 2022.
Weaknesses
The previous year, the seventh edition’s runners-up had the support of the experienced David Willey, who claimed 13 wickets for them. The Englishman is not included in Sultans’ squad this year as his performance last year convinced IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore to buy him for INR two crores for IPL 2022.
Shahnawaz Dahani, Wayne Parnell, and Joshua Little will have to step up and shoulder the responsibility in the pace bowling department in Willey’s absence.
