Q: Hello, Abu Bakr from Crayquick. Multan lost two out of two games. Today, we saw three different teams defend their totals after batting first, but Multan decided to bowl first. How would you rate the decision about the toss, and how did Multan’s spinners perform in these dry conditions?
A: Yeah, look, I think Rawalpindi’s pitch is known for being flat. However, there was a lot of rain around, and we saw a huge storm before the game. Given that, we thought the pitch might shape a little early. We knew it had shaped in the powerplay, so we were hoping to use the new ball effectively. The new ball and powerplay have been crucial for us in this HBL PSL. I stand by our decision to bowl first. We didn’t quite execute as we wanted, and I feel that’s why we lost this game.
Q: Despite winning the toss, Multan lost the match. What went wrong, and can you rectify this?
A: As a bowling unit, we started well. Obaid Shah took his first wicket in the PSL on debut and bowled really well for a young player. However, we need to work on our death bowling. We conceded a bit too many runs, making the chase more challenging for us.
Q: In the last five overs, you conceded 72 runs. Regarding batting, Rizwan and Usman were disappointed. Do you think there’s a need for more game awareness from your batters?
A: I don’t think we can fault Rizwan at all. He scored a century in our first game, which is never easy in T20 cricket. Shai Hope is yet to fire, but we know he’s an amazing player. I’m confident he’ll contribute soon.
Q: You have several local players in your squad. Do you find the language barrier an issue?
A: It can be, but we have plenty of people to translate, which is fantastic. I need to work on my Urdu, though! The local players have been brilliant with me. I try to take the pressure off players rather than putting it on them, and that’s worked well so far.
Q: Pace is crucial, and Multan used to have Muhammad Abbas and Ihsanullah. Don’t you think Muhammad Hasnain is underutilized?
A: We do a lot of match-up analysis. Sometimes, that means a bowler might miss out on a couple of overs. Hasnain is a fantastic talent, and he’s still young. I think he’ll grow into his role and get better with each game.
Q: You’re working with Multan Sultans, and it’s going well. Any future plans for working with the Pakistan cricket team?
A: I’d love to work with the Pakistan cricket team. I love the passion for cricket here, and the weather’s certainly better than England! If they asked me, I’d never say no.
Thank you, everyone.
