Lahore
Multan Sultans on Monday announced that wicketkeeper batsman Muhammad Rizwan will lead their team in place of Shan Masood in the 6th edition of the HBP Pakistan Super League (PSL).
The PSL will start in Karachi from February 20 and Sultans will kick off their campaign for the sixth edition the very next against Islamabad United. ‘Multan Sultans management is pleased to appoint Mohammad Rizwan as the Captain of the franchise for HBL PSL6,’ said Multan Sultan here. Mohammad Rizwan has shown exemplary leadership qualities with the Pakistan team as well as with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the Domestic tournaments,’ said franchise owner Alamgir Khan Tareen regarding the first-choice wicketkeeper for Pakistan .
He described Rizwan as ‘one of the very best in the world’ in the position he plays in currently. The 28-year-old batsman had moved from Karachi Kings to Multan Sultans this season and At Karachi, under Imad Wasim’s leadership,he (Rizwan) was never considered as first choice in the playing XI as wicket keeper. ‘We are excited to have him lead our team for the upcoming season of the Pakistan Super League,’ said Tareen. He also thanked Shan Masood for leading the franchise ‘exceptionally well’ in the previous season .
Rizwan expressed his delight on his appointment as captain and said that he was looking forward to lead the Multan Sultans team in the upcoming season. ‘I have understood the innovative approach the franchise applied last season and am looking forward to playing my part this year,’ said the vice captain of the national Test team. He added that he will work with the senior players such as Shahid Afridi, Shan Masood and Sohail Tanveer to learn from their experience and to elevate Sultans performance in PSL.
A total of five foreign players’ replacements have been made in the HBL Pakistan Super League teams that will take the field for the HBL PSL 6 at the National Stadium Karachi and Gaddafi Stadium Lahore from Saturday 20 February. The teams made replacement picks for the players who have either become fully or partially unavailable due to international cricket commitments. South Africa star Faf du Plessis who represented Peshawar Zalmi in the HBL PSL 2020 play-offs last November makes a return to the league as a partial replacement player in the Quetta Gladiators outfit in place of West Indian Chris Gayle. Australia leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed who has represented Gladiators in the earlier HBL PSL seasons replaces New Zealand batsman Colin Munro in the Islamabad United squad.
Munro would be unavailable for United due to the prevailing Covid-19 related managed isolation space challenges in New Zealand. United have also included USA fast bowler Ali Khan as a replacement for England’s Reece Topley who has been included in England’s T20I squad on their ongoing tour of India. Ireland batsman Paul Stirling is the third replacement in the United squad in place of England fast bowler Chris Jordan who has also been included in the T20I squad for the series against India.
England batsman Tom-Kohler Cadmore who represented Gladiators in the 2018 season will replace compatriot Liam Livingstone in the Zalmi squad with Livingstone also set to be part of England’s T20I team in India.—Agencies
