Ashton Turner Named Multan Sultans Captain for PSL 11

The Multan Sultans captain for the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 has been confirmed, with Australian batter Ashton Turner set to lead the franchise in the tournament scheduled from 26 March to 3 May.

The announcement was made by Multan Sultans through their official social media platforms. Turner replaces Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, who previously captained the team before joining the new PSL franchise Pindiz.

Rizwan’s successful leadership era

Mohammad Rizwan enjoyed a successful spell as Multan Sultans captain during his time with the franchise.

He led the side in 58 PSL matches, securing 33 victories and 25 defeats, which resulted in a 56.89 percent win rate. This record places him among the three most successful captains in PSL history.

One of the highlights of Rizwan’s leadership came in 2021, when he guided Multan Sultans to their first Pakistan Super League title after defeating Peshawar Zalmi in the final.

Turner takes charge

With Rizwan moving on, Multan Sultans have handed the captaincy to Ashton Turner, a right-handed middle-order batter from Australia.

Turner is widely recognised for his experience in global T20 leagues. The 33-year-old has participated in several major competitions, including the Big Bash League (BBL), Men’s The Hundred, Pakistan Super League, SA20, Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

He also brings championship pedigree, having been part of five Big Bash League title-winning teams.

Turner previously represented Multan Sultans during the last PSL season, where he appeared in three matches and scored 15 runs.

Turner’s T20 record

Across his T20 career, Turner has played 252 matches, scoring 4,103 runs at a strike rate of 142.56. His record includes 17 half-centuries.

In addition to his batting contributions, he has also taken 38 wickets in the format.

At international level, Turner has represented Australia in 19 T20 Internationals, scoring 110 runs and claiming four wickets.

Franchise ownership update

Meanwhile, the PSL franchise previously known as Sialkot Stallionz was officially rebranded as Multan Sultans on 3 March following a majority acquisition by CD Ventures.

The development was announced during a joint press conference attended by Naseer, franchise owner Hamza Majeed, and CD Ventures chief Gohar Shah.

CD Ventures purchased a majority stake in the franchise, which had originally been bought by OZ Developers for PKR 1.85 billion during the PSL auction in January.

PSL 11 opening match

The 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League will begin on 26 March, with defending champions Lahore Qalandars facing debutants Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen at Gaddafi Stadium.

Multan Sultans squad for PSL 11

Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Ahmed Daniyal, Saad Masood, Steve Smith, Jahanzaib Sultan, Sahibzada Farhan, Ashton Turner (c), Peter Siddle, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lachlan Shaw, Delano Potgieter, Josh Phillippe, Shan Masood, Momin Qamar and Muhammad Awais Zafar.

Check out Pindiz new logo here.