'Rizwan is not captain material,' says former Pakistan cricketer

Former Pakistan wicketkeeper batter Kamran Akmal has openly criticised Mohammad Rizwan’s leadership abilities, declaring him unfit for captaincy and urging the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to make a decisive call on his future role.

Speaking on a private sports show, Akmal launched a sharp critique of Rizwan’s tactics and composure during the ongoing HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10, particularly highlighting Multan Sultans’ crushing defeat to Peshawar Zalmi.

“If the Pakistan Cricket Board has the courage, they should make a firm decision and never give such powers to him again,” Akmal said. 

“He is simply not a captain material,” he added. 

Akmal’s remarks came in the wake of Sultans’ humiliating loss to Zalmi, where they were defeated by seven wickets with 42 balls to spare—a performance that sparked questions over team strategy and leadership.

“The way he set up the team against Peshawar and the manner in which they played was beyond comprehension,” he added.

Multan Sultans’ HBL PSL 10 campaign began on shaky ground with a four-wicket loss to Karachi Kings in the opener, followed by defeats to Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi.

They briefly bounced back with a 33-run win over Lahore Qalandars but failed to build momentum, losing their next four matches.

With those losses, the 2021 champions became the first team to be knocked out of playoff contention, ending a disappointing campaign that also put Rizwan’s leadership under the microscope.

Akmal’s comments add fuel to an already growing debate around leadership and accountability within the Sultans camp, as fans and analysts continue to dissect what went wrong.