Multan Sultans, led by Mohammad Rizwan, has remained one of the most consistent teams in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) during last three years.
The captaincy shift from Shan Masood to Rizwan in 2021 earned Sultans their maiden PSL title. Rizwan, who was not the first-choice wicket-keeper in his previous franchise Karachi Kings, showed his dominance as captain after putting gear on his T20I performance for Pakistan in the twilight phase of 2020.
Rizwan-led Sultans eye PSL final spot for the third consecutive year as they take on Lahore Qalandars in PSL 8 qualifier on March 15.
Strengths
The sultans' batting powerhouse is something too dangerous for any opposition. Their skipper Mohammad Rizwan is currently the highest run-scorer in PSL 8 with 483 runs which he scored during league stage of the tournament.
Usman Khan notched the fastest PSL century off just 36 balls during his team's last outing to create more strength in Sultans' batting line-up.
South Africa's Rilee Rossouw followed by Singapore-born Australian cricketer Tim David, West Indian great Kieron Pollard and local boy Khushdil Shah further spice up their batting line.
Weaknesses
Sultans' two young bowlers - Abbas Afridi and Ihsanullah - are the top two highest wicket-takers in PSL 8 but they lack experience as compared to their opponent in qualifier this year.
Abbas has bagged 22 wickets whereas Ihsanullah has 20 wickets in his account. However, the two pacers lack experience of bowling in a high-pressure game.
Previous appearance in qualifier
Sultans played PSL qualifier for three years in a row. In 2020, they lost against Karachi Kings, whereas, qualified for the final in PSL 2021 and 2022 after defeating Islamabad United and Qalandars, respectively.
Probable lineup
Mohammad Rizwan (c/wk), Usman Khan, Rilee Rossouw, Tim David, Kieron Pollard, Khushdil Shah, Anwar Ali, Usama Mir, Sheldon Cottrell, Abbas Afridi, Ihsanullah