Sunday, April 27, 2025

Bracewell reflects on Multan Sultans’ performance

Bracewell reflects on Multan Sultans’ performance




Asher Butt

Multan Sultans' New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell shared his thoughts on the team’s struggles following their sixth loss in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10. Speaking at the post-match press conference, Bracewell acknowledged the challenges Multan Sultans face while expressing optimism about their chances of bouncing back despite their precarious position in the league.

Incomplete Performances Holding the Team Back

With only one win out of six games, Bracewell admitted that the team had yet to deliver a cohesive performance. “It’s definitely not the place you want to be. Unfortunately, we’ve played some good cricket, but only in patches. If we’re being honest, we haven’t put together enough complete performances. There’s been some individual brilliance, but as a team, we haven’t managed a full team effort—and that’s why we’re where we are on the table,” Bracewell remarked.

Struggles with Consistency

When asked about the team’s recurring inability to convert strong first innings into victories, Bracewell pointed to the lack of consistency across batting and bowling. “We’ve had strong individual performances—sometimes with the bat, other times with the ball—but not consistently both in the same game. It’s disappointing to be in this position, but we’re working hard behind the scenes to fix things. It’s certainly not a lack of effort. Everyone’s training hard. T20 cricket can be fickle—there are crucial moments in every match that can change the outcome, and unfortunately, we just haven’t nailed those moments,” he explained.

Toss’s Influence on Lahore Conditions

Bracewell acknowledged that the toss could influence outcomes, particularly in Lahore’s conditions, but refused to use it as an excuse. “In this part of the world, the toss can play a role sometimes. But we’re not going to use that as an excuse. Everyone gets a chance to bat and bowl, and most of the time, the team that plays better on the day ends up winning,” he said.

Backing Mohammad Rizwan’s Leadership

Despite the team’s struggles, Bracewell praised Mohammad Rizwan’s captaincy and ability to adapt to match conditions. “Rizwan is a fantastic captain. We all support and believe in him. He played a brilliant innings tonight. It’s just unfortunate we couldn’t defend 185. That’s cricket sometimes. He assessed the conditions beautifully at the top of the innings,” Bracewell shared.

Addressing Team Balance and Decisions

Responding to questions about team composition, particularly the inclusion of four seamers, Bracewell defended the decision, considering the green surface in Lahore. “It was actually quite tough to bowl spin tonight. I think we got the balance of our side right by going with four seamers. Our seamers bowled brilliantly in the powerplay. (Daryl) Mitchell and (Sikandar) Raza played fantastic innings that took the game away from us. Sure, a spinner might have taken wickets, but in T20s, they can also go for runs. I thought our team was well balanced tonight—we just couldn’t quite get over the line,” he stated.

Optimism for Future

Matches Bracewell dismissed notions that the campaign was over, maintaining hope for a turnaround. “Look, never say never. With four teams qualifying, you’re always just a few wins away from being back in the mix. We haven’t lost hope. We definitely need to play better as a unit, and who knows—we’ve got a game in a couple of nights and we’ll focus on that now,” Bracewell concluded.

As Multan Sultans aim to salvage their season, Bracewell’s reflections underline the team’s determination to identify their weaknesses, improve execution, and compete fiercely in the remainder of PSL 10.

 

 

 


No comments:

Post a Comment