PSL 2021 team profile: Multan Sultans look to make fresh start with Rizwan as captain

• In 2021, Sultans are aiming to make a fresh start under a new captain Mohammad Rizwan
• Along with Rizwan, Sultans have the likes of Rilee Rossouw and James Vince to make their batting look strong
• Sultans also have Australian Chris Lynn in their lineup as well who went to the new side after being dropped by Lahore Qalandars in the players’ draft

Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Multan Sultans topped the table last season at the end of the league stage and looked in good form before the tournament was suspended due to the unprecedented coronavirus.

When they returned to the field for the remaining matches in November 2020, they were defeated by Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars to get knocked out of the tournament.

In 2021, Sultans are aiming to make a fresh start under new captain Mohammad Rizwan who was named the skipper of the team, replacing Shan Masood, just five days before the league kickstarted.

Rizwan was picked by Multan earlier in the player's draft after he was dropped by his former team Karachi Kings where his talent was undermined and he could hardly find a place in the playing XI under the captaincy of Imad Wasim with Karachi Kings.

Read more: PSL 2021: Karachi Kings beat Quetta Gladiators by 7 wickets

Along with Rizwan, Sultans have the likes of Rilee Rossouw and James Vince to make their batting look strong.

Vince scored back-to-back nineties earlier this year for the Sydney Sixers at the Big Bash League before coming to Pakistan and Multan will be hoping for a similar show from the English batsman. Rossouw, on the other hand, is known to be a good hitter of the ball.

Adding powerhouse to their batting, the Sultans have Australian Chris Lynn in their lineup as well who changed teams after being dropped by the Lahore Qalandars in the players’ draft.

The Sultans will be hoping for him to fill the void created after losing Moeen Ali and Zeeshan Ashraf.

Shahid Afridi, the superstar of Pakistan cricket, is also in the team along with Khushdil Shah, who provides Multan an option in the middle order to score some quick runs.

Read more: PSL 2021: Babar Azam becomes top scorer in tournament history

Afridi also boosts the spin bowling area of Multan Sultans along with the young Usman Qadir who has recently proved his class with the white-ball in the shortest format and South African experienced cricketer Imran Tahir.

The player to watch out in Sultan’s dugout will be young fast bowler Shahnawaz Dhani who adds fire to the fast bowling department of the team along with Sohail Tanvir and Sohail Khan.

Here is the squad and fixtures for the Multan Sultans: 

Squad: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Adam Lyth, Carlos Brathwaite (Supplementary), Chris Lynn, Imran Khan Senior (Supplementary), Imran Tahir, James Vince, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Umar, Rilee Rossouw, Shahid Afridi, Shahnawaz Dhani, Shan Masood, Sohaibullah, Sohaib Maqsood, Sohail Khan, Sohail Tanvir and Usman Qadir

Fixtures: February 21 – Islamabad United, February 23 – Peshawar Zalmi, February 26 – Lahore Qalandars, February 27 – Karachi Kings, March 3 – Quetta Gladiators, March 5 – Karachi Kings, March 7 – Quetta Gladiators, March 12 – Peshawar Zalmi, March 13 – Islamabad United, March 16 – Lahore Qalandars