LAHORE: As Rawalpindis prepare for their maiden Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 11 campaign, young all-rounder Saad Masood is confident of making a strong impact for his team.
Addressing the media at the Lahore Cricket Club Academy (LCCA), Masood shared insights into his preparations and highlighted the support he received from senior players.
He specifically mentioned the motivation of former Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan and spoke about the challenge of managing social media attention while maintaining performance on the field.
“The crowd, especially the Rawalpindi fans, will miss the matches but we will do our best not to disappoint them,” Masood said.
“Mohammed Rizwan supports me a lot and always tells me to give my hundred percent. Our goal in Rawalpindi’s first season is to do well and become champions. I follow social media, but not too much because criticism creates some pressure,” he added.
The all-rounder, who recently made his international debut for Pakistan during the ODI series against Bangladesh, also reflected on the team’s preparations and his personal approach to the game.
“The training is going well and we have played a practice match. It is a new team and we will try to do well. As an all-rounder, I always aim to contribute in all three fields and a healthy competition will only help improve the game,” he said.
The upcoming PSL season marks a significant expansion, with eight teams competing for the first time. New teams Hyderabad Kingsmen and Rawalpindi have joined the tournament which will feature 44 matches in 39 days.
However, the Pakistan Cricket Board has revised its logistical plans. The matches will now be held exclusively in Karachi and Lahore and will be played behind closed doors. Six cities, including Multan, Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad, were initially considered as host cities.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed the changes during a press conference, saying the decisions were taken after consultation with franchise owners and the board’s patron-chairman, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
According to the revised schedule, Lahore will host Eliminators 1 and 2 along with the final, while Karachi will host the qualifiers. There is no change in the opening match between Hyderabad Kingsmen and Lahore Qalandars.
The Rizwan-led side will play their first game of the season against former champions Peshawar Zalmi at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Saturday.
With the matches being held without spectators, the organizers have promised enhanced broadcast and production features to enhance the viewing experience for fans in Pakistan and globally.
Rawalpindi’s Squad for PSL 11: Mohammad Rizwan (caught), Sam Billings, Jalat Khan, Yasir Khan, Naseem Shah, Rishad Hossain, Daryl Mitchell, Mohammad Amir, Cole Mackenzie, Abdullah Fazal, Amat Butt, Dian Forrester, Larry Evans, Asif Afridi, Kamran Akulam, Sawant Khan Ghulam Masood.