LAHORE: Rawalpindi captain Mohammad Rizwan is hopeful that the upcoming Karachi leg of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 will bring about a change in fortunes after a seven-wicket defeat at the hands of leaders Multan Sultans at the Gaddafi Stadium here on Monday.
The Bindis, who made their debut in the PSL, have now lost their first four matches, further damaging their hopes of qualifying for the playoffs against their recent leaders Sultans, which will feature the top four teams after the league stage.
They are seventh in the table, ahead of fellow debutants Hyderabad Kingsmen due to their relatively high net run rate, currently at a negative 1.625, and therefore need a turnaround to revive their PSL 11 campaign.
Their next match is scheduled for April 10 against previous edition’s runners-up Quetta Gladiators at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi, which will host all their remaining league-level matches, and their captain Rizwan admitted the venue needed a fresh start.
“Definitely we need a fresh start when we go to Karachi. We want to make some tactical changes based on the conditions there and our fortunes will also start to change,” Rizwan said after Bindis’ seven-wicket loss to Sultans.
“In owner cricket, even if you make a change, you still need a couple to maintain the right balance, especially the requirements for foreign players. However, whenever you take the field, the goal is to come out with a balanced side,” he added.
Reflecting on his side’s inability to secure a win in the ongoing eight-team tournament, Rizwan insisted that the toss had been a significant factor behind the outcome of their previous three matches, often with the ball being caught early by 20 runs behind.
“There are a lot of factors that are out of your control — DOS is a major one,” Rizwan said.
“It’s been a significant factor in our last three games; early on, the ball catches a little bit, which often results in losing that crucial 10 to 20 run margin, and eventually, it affects the final result,” he concluded.