Multan Sultans have announced Australian all-rounder Ashton Turner as captain for the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11, which is scheduled to run from 26 March to 3 May.
The announcement marks the beginning of a new leadership chapter for the franchise, which had been captained by Pakistan’s wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan for several seasons.
The Sultans confirmed Turner’s appointment through their official social media channels, introducing the experienced T20 campaigner as the man who will guide the team in the historic 11th edition of the league.
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End of Rizwan’s Leadership Era
For a long time, Mohammad Rizwan was synonymous with Multan Sultans.
The Pakistan international captained the side in 58 PSL matches, winning 33 games and losing 25, which translates into a 56.89 per cent win rate. That record makes him the third most successful captain in PSL history.
More importantly, Rizwan led the franchise to its first PSL title in 2021, when the Sultans defeated Peshawar Zalmi in the final.
However, the wicketkeeper batter will not be leading Multan this season. Rizwan is now part of the new PSL franchise Pindiz.
Why Ashton Turner?
Multan Sultans have opted for experience in appointing Turner as captain.
The 33-year-old Australian has played across several major T20 leagues, including the Big Bash League, The Hundred, Indian Premier League, SA20, Caribbean Premier League and the PSL. Notably, he is also a five-time Big Bash League champion, which underlines his experience in high-pressure tournaments.
Turner was part of the Multan Sultans squad in the previous PSL season as well. Although he featured in only three matches and scored 15 runs, the franchise appears to value his leadership qualities and overall T20 expertise.
Turner’s T20 Credentials
Over the years, Turner has built a solid reputation as a dependable middle-order batter in the T20 format.
In 252 T20 matches, he has scored 4,103 runs at an impressive strike rate of 142.56, while also registering 17 half-centuries. In addition, he has chipped in with the ball, claiming 38 wickets during his career.
On the international stage, Turner has represented Australia in 19 T20 Internationals, scoring 110 runs and picking up four wickets.
While he may not be the biggest name in world cricket, his experience across global leagues makes him a valuable asset in a tournament as competitive as the PSL.
A Fresh Start for Multan
The upcoming PSL season represents a fresh start for the franchise.
Interestingly, the original Multan Sultans franchise was earlier acquired by the Walee Group and rebranded as Pindiz, which meant PSL 11 was initially expected to proceed without the Multan name.
However, the situation changed on 3 March when the franchise previously known as Sialkot Stallionz was rebranded as Multan Sultans after a majority takeover by CD Ventures, led by Gohar Shah.
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