Simon Doull has come down hard on Mohammad Rizwan for his innings in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) qualifier today (March 15), with the Multan Sultans captain dismissed for 33 off 29 against Lahore Qalandars.
He shared an opening stand of 53 in 7.3 overs with Usman Khan – a run rate of almost exactly seven runs per over – with some late hitting from Kieron Pollard needed to get Multan Sultans up to 160. Doull was critical of what he viewed as a conservative approach from Rizwan.
“33 off 29 and he’s out in the 14th over,” he said, speaking on PSL commentary. “It’s just not acceptable. He didn’t hit a boundary in 10 overs. The third over was his last boundary. You’ve got to take more risks than that.”
Doull felt that Usman and Rizwan did not target the powerplay enough, with Multan Sultans scoring 46 runs off the first six overs. Today’s game is the qualifier, played between the top two sides in the group stage. The winner will progress to the final, while the loser will get a second chance to do so, and Doull suggested that this should have prompted Rizwan’s side to take risks.
“This is a game where you get a second chance, so this is the game you take risks,” he said. This is the game you try and put the side under pressure, in case you have to play them again. This is where you show your wares, because if you do lose going for it, it doesn’t matter. The point is, this is a game where you can express yourself, do whatever you want to do, and that powerplay was just not good enough.”
Doull has been in the news for his criticism of Peshawar Zalmi captain Babar Azam, with his comments taking on a similar note. Mark Butcher, on commentary with Doull at the time, took the opportunity to make light of the situation.
“Simon Doull, equal opportunities opinions,” he said. “It’s not just Babar that cops it, you know, and quite right too.”
Rizwan came in for criticism from Doull earlier in the competition, with the former New Zealand quick suggesting the wicketkeeper-batter retire when struggling during an innings against Karachi Kings. Rizwan accelerated to make a hundred, but Doull stood by his comments later on.
