Rawalpindi, April 13, 2025:
Q1: how do you reflect on Karachi Kings’s run-chase and batting of James Vince and Khushdil Shah?
A: Yeah, they played really well and put the bowlers under immense pressure. It was tough to defend out there. We still felt like we had pretty good plans, but sometimes the better team can execute their plans better than you can as a bowler. It was a fantastic game with lots of runs scored – a good advertisement for T20 cricket.
Q: We’re you happy with the total or thought you were 25-30 runs short in the end?
A: I think we were really happy with our total at halftime. Batting first, you never quite know what a really good score on the wicket is. We felt like we were in the game and had a great score on the board. You’re always trying to assess as a batting unit in the first innings. In hindsight, every batter will look at ways to get better – maybe 10 or 15 runs more. When you score 230-odd in a T20 game, you expect to be competitive. It took exceptional innings from Vince and Khushdil, and Seifert’s batting at the top, to take us down.
Q: There’s lots of extras given by your team, Multan Sultans. Do you think this is a turning point, with around 30 runs given in extras?
A: Obviously, when you give away that amount of extras, you want to tidy that up. In the first game of the season, sometimes guys are a bit rusty. We’re working on tidying up that area. The way they batted was outstanding – serious hitting from both sides.
Q: Do you think dew was one of the major reasons for your defeat?
A: There was a bit of dew out there, which you expect in the second innings, particularly here. It’s just one of those things that makes it harder to execute as a bowling unit. The way they played, they took the game away from us. They came out with great intent, put us under pressure, and we weren’t able to take wickets through the middle.
Q: You’re playing HBL PSL after the ICC Champions Trophy and captaining in New Zealand in T20s and ODIs. How do you manage your workload between international and franchise cricket?
A: It’s an exciting time to be playing with a lot of cricket going on. You have to manage your workload, keep fresh, and look after your body. It’s a challenge for everyone playing all year round, but it’s an opportunity to play in different leagues and experience different conditions. I’m looking forward to the rest of the PSL.
Q: How do you assess the Karachi pitch?
A: It was a different wicket with a lot more grass. We weren’t sure how it would play. When 230 runs is chased down, both teams are searching for ways to take wickets and stop the flow of runs. We’re looking for fine margins to improve. We’ve got a great team, and as long as we’re trying to improve every day, we’ll be in a good place to win games.
