- Saqlain Mushtaq withdraws as Multan Sultans’ spin bowling coach for PSL 9 due to scheduling conflicts.
- Former ECB performance director David Parsons appointed as his replacement, impressing Sultans owner during a previous academy stint.
- Faisal Akram, mentored by Parsons in the academy, now under his guidance in Multan’s squad; coaching staff sees additional appointments for a strengthened lineup.
In a notable development ahead of the Pakistan Super League (PSL 2024), Saqlain Mushtaq has withdrawn as the spin bowling coach for Multan Sultans due to scheduling conflicts. The former England and Pakistan cricketer, who was appointed to the role in October 2023, cited unavoidable scheduling reasons for his decision.
To fill this void, the Sultans have roped in former England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) performance director David Parsons as Saqlain’s replacement. Parsons, who previously served as the ECB’s national spin bowling coach from 2005 to 2007, currently holds the position of performance director for England Netball.
The decision to bring in Parsons was influenced by his previous impressive stint at the Multan Sultans academy in South Punjab, a factor that caught the attention of Sultans owner Ali Tareen. Faisal Akram, a left-arm wrist-spinner who had worked with Parsons in the academy, will now have the opportunity to continue under his guidance in Multan’s squad.
To bolster the coaching staff, Parsons will be assisted by former England Women’s spinner Alex Hartley. The Sultans’ coaching lineup also includes head coach Abdul Rehman, assistant coach Muhammad Wasim, and fast bowling coach Catherine Dalton. The assistant spin bowling coach role will now be filled by Alex Hartley, while Drikus Saaiman takes on the responsibilities of strength and conditioning and fielding coach.
Multan Sultan’s owner expresses disappointment over Saqlain Mushtaq’s withdrawal
Expressing disappointment over Saqlain’s withdrawal, Ali Tareen values the local experience and cricketing insights that Saqlain brought to the team. The addition of Parsons, coupled with the expertise of the coaching staff, signals a strategic move by Multan Sultans as they prepare for the challenges of PSL Season 9.
“We were delighted to have Saqlain Mushtaq on board because there is nothing better than having local experience and a name as big as his. But, some scheduling difficulties had emerged because of which we had to put our partnership on hold. We will definitely make use of his experience at some stage in the future,” Sultans’ owner and chief executive Ali Khan Tareen said.
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