By Zainab Shafiq 
The Multan Sultans have been dealt a blow ahead of the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL 9) season with the news that key players Reece Topley and Ihsanullah will be unavailable due to injury.
Topley’s absence was announced by Sultans owner Ali Tareen, who revealed that the English fast bowler was unable to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) due to his commitments with other leagues. Topley recently played for the Durban Super Giants in the SA20 tournament and is also set to feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
While the injury is not considered serious enough to jeopardize his IPL participation, it has forced him to withdraw from the PSL as a precautionary measure. The Sultans attempted to replace Topley with South African quick Nandre Burger, but their request for an NOC from Cricket South Africa was denied.
The team is now exploring alternative options, with names like Olly Stone and Dushmantha Chameera being mentioned. However, Chameera himself is currently battling a left quadriceps injury, and the extent of his setback remains unclear.
These setbacks come at a time when the Sultans are aiming to build on their impressive performances in the last two PSL seasons, where they reached the final but fell short on both occasions against the Lahore Qalandars.
The PSL is set to kick off on February 17th. The tournament will be held across four cities in Pakistan – Rawalpindi, Karachi, Multan, and Lahore. The first match of the tournament will see the Lahore Qalandars, winners of the last two PSL seasons, take on the Islamabad United, who have also lifted the trophy twice.
With the absence of key players like Topley and Ihsanullah, the Multan Sultans will need to find a way to overcome these challenges and remain competitive in the upcoming PSL season.
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