Umar Akmal explains reason behind Multan Sultans’ slump in PSL

Pakistan cricketer Umar Akmal has shared his views on the ongoing struggles of Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10.

Sultans, known to be a formidable side in the six-team competition, have found it hard to get off the mark in the ongoing edition of the Pakistan Super League.

The Mohammad Rizwan-led side is yet to win a game in PSL 10 as they are set to face Lahore Qalandars at Multan Cricket Stadium on April 22.

Amid their dismal performance in the tournament, Pakistan cricketer Umar Akmal has blamed the side’s fielding for their series of losses.

During a recent interview on a private TV channel, the wicketkeeping batter was asked about the reasons behind Multan Sultans’ losses.

Responding to the questions, Umar Akmal said that the franchise has picked the best players for the PSL 10.

“I think they lack in fielding. They should never have let Peshawar make a comeback in the game after dismissing their top-order batters. But, they dropped many catches and allowed Peshawar to post an over 200-run total,” he added.

Despite conceding over 200 runs on two instances in the PSL 10, Umar Akmal was of the view that bowlers perform when they get support from fielders.

“Bowlers are doing their job well. They are creating the scene and forcing batters to make mistakes. But, what can they do when the fielders are not supporting them,” he said.

According to the Pakistan batter, fielding lapses put pressure on the captain and the team as a whole.

“The captain also starts thinking about where to hide a fielder who is struggling on the ground. There were so many drop catches in the game and that too by players who recently played for Pakistan,” Umar Akmal said.