The seventh season of the Pakistan Super League has started with a bang. And the big upsets of titans like Karachi Kings have already begun. But that discussion is for another day because today we are discussing the Pakistan star who rocked the 2021 T20 season internationally and domestically.
Mohammad Rizwan redefined an athlete’s capability to climb newer heights last year while becoming the first player in history to cross the 1000-run mark in T20 cricket in a calendar year. Let’s look at how he performed in last year’s PSL.
The dream season of 2021
Before 2021, Multan Sultans had never reached the finals of PSL. But this changed when Rizwan was added to the squad and was made captain ahead of Shan Masood. As a result, Rizwan led Multan to their first-ever title; he became one of the only two batters to score 500 runs or more in a single edition of the tournament.
Scoring 500 runs at an average of 45.45, Rizwan dominated the domestic season. He continued this form in the following World Cup and was a dominant force for a relatively successful campaign for Pakistan.
On his way to becoming the franchise’s GOAT
Rizwan’s game has undoubtedly improved after coming to the Multan squad. In just 16 innings, he is already among the top three run-scorers ever for Multan Sultans. His 633 runs at an average of 45.21 show that his stay will be longer.
The stability he brings to his team has upped his peers’ game, which is seen in Sohaib Maqsood and Shan Masood’s game. While he is the least aggressive of the trio (strike rate of 128.39 at Multan), the self-defined role of anchoring and taking the game deep has garnered them into multiple wins, which is the legacy he has created here.
How Are Multan and Rizwan faring in 2022?
Currently, Multan Sultans are at the top of the points table with four wins. The season is also going great for Rizwan, who has scored 133 runs at an average of 44.33, with two match-winning fifties in those four games.
The Sultans are continuing their strategy of taking the games deep and building the game accordingly, and it’s rewarding them well. For Rizwan, though, the only aspect which is a double-edged sword for him and the team is his strike rate.
His method of taking the game slowly at the start might bite them as it did for Rizwan last year at the World Cup. Nonetheless, the results have been in his and his team’s favor, and at the moment, they shouldn’t ponder on this. They have a veteran like Shan Masood, who has been in great form this season, scoring 240 runs at an average of 60 till now, who makes the team complete and capable.