'Cricket, politics should never mix'

Multan needs to accept pressure and work on mistakes, says Rizwan

Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Multan Sultans' captain Mohammad Rizwan has said that cricket and politics should never mix.

Speaking to media in Lahore, he stated, "There should be no politics in cricket. I don't know what's happening between Pakistan and India — I don't use social media."

Reflecting on his interactions with international players, Rizwan emphasized the spirit of unity in the cricketing world.

"When we meet players like Virat Kohli and Joe Root, we interact like a cricketing family. We learn from them, and they learn from us too," he said.

Discussing Multan Sultans' exit from the tournament, Rizwan acknowledged his team's shortcomings.

"Team selection is based on conditions. All teams picked spinners, and we were rightfully eliminated because we made mistakes. We couldn't maintain momentum in the fielding department," he admitted.

On the pressure of leadership, Rizwan said, "If I say I don't feel pressure, that would be a lie. There is pressure as the captain of Pakistan, and also as Multan's captain. People are watching. We need to accept this pressure and work on our mistakes."

Addressing the evolving nature of T20 cricket, he pointed to the importance of adapting to local playing conditions.

"People say we need to play modern-day cricket, but what can we do about the conditions? Sometimes in T20s here, we have to play like it's Test cricket. Look at the T20 World Cup—scoring even 120 was tough," he explained.

Rizwan urged players and fans to focus inward rather than comparing with others.

"We shouldn't focus on what others are doing. We must look at what the conditions demand," he said.

He also praised other PSL teams and their performances: "Lahore Qalandars have a different kind of passion. Quetta has momentum, and both Karachi and Islamabad have built very good squads."

In response to a question about Babar Azam's Peshawar Zalmi, Rizwan offered words of support: "Babar Azam's Peshawar Zalmi needs prayers—I'll pray for them. If we had taken our catches, we wouldn't be in this situation today."

HBL PSL X to observe childhood cancer awareness day

The HBL Pakistan Super League, as part of its corporate social responsibility, is once again set to observe Childhood Cancer Awareness Day on 3 May and on this occasion teams, match officials and commentators will be involved in the support of the campaign.

HBL PSL Chief Executive Officer Salman Naseer:

"As part of HBL PSL's corporate social responsibility, we are observing Childhood Cancer Awareness on 3 May. This reflects our commitment to using the platform of cricket to help raise awareness around health challenges that affect many lives across the country.

"We are thankful to the teams, players, commentators, fans and media friends for their continued support in promoting these awareness efforts through HBL PSL."

The HBL PSL X will see the Childhood Cancer Awareness Day to be observed during Quetta Gladiators and Islamabad United fixture at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday. The match will begin at 8:00pm.

Match officials and match commentators at the venue will wear gold ribbons, synonymous with Childhood Cancer Awareness campaigns. Gladiators and United players will wear Golden caps as well as gold ribbons.

The stumps in use for the match will also be branded in gold, while three cancer patients will be invited at the ground where they will be presented signed shirts from both sides.

Additionally, Childhood cancer awareness messages would be displayed on the digital screens placed at the stadium to create awareness about the disease aimed at educating the spectators.