Saud vows turnaround for Gladiators
Quetta Gladiators' new skipper Saud Shakeel is determined to revive glory days for his side in HBL PSL X. PHOTO: PCB
Quetta Gladiators' newly-appointed captain Saud Shakeel shared his plans for the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10, stating that the former champions look to play well this time around.
Gladiators were considered one of the most consistent sides in the tournament as they played two PSL finals before finally clinching the prestigious title in 2019 under the leadership of wicketkeeper batter Sarfaraz Ahmed.
However, the title victory was followed by dismal performances which saw them even failing to qualify for the playoffs for the next four editions.
Their consistent below-par performances forced a leadership change which saw South Africa's Rilee Rossouw replacing Sarfaraz.
Under Rossouw's captaincy, the franchise managed to break the playoffs jinx after four years but failed to progress further as they suffered a 39-run defeat at the hands of eventual champions Islamabad United in the Eliminator 1.
As a result, the franchise made another leadership and replaced Rossouw with Shakeel, who acknowledged that the former champions' performances in the recent few editions were unsatisfactory before vowing to 'entertain' their fans by playing well.
The left-handed batter also expressed his confidence in the Gladiators' 'quality' squad.
"The last few seasons haven't been good for Quetta and like all other teams we have tried our best to assemble a quality squad. We look forward to playing well and entertaining the fans this time around," said Shakeel.
"Our squad looks well balanced and it will be exciting to lead Quetta Gladiators this season," he added.
For the unversed, the Gladiators will kick off their PSL 10 campaign against traditional rivals Peshawar Zalmi at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on April 12.
Quetta Gladiators squad for PSL 10: Finn Allen, Faheem Ashraf and Mark Chapman (all platinum), Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir and Rilee Rossouw (all diamond), Akeal Hossein, Mohammad Wasim Jr and Saud Shakeel (all gold), Khawaja Nafay, Usman Tariq, Haseebullah Khan and Khurram Shahzad (all silver), Kyle Jamieson and Hasan Nawaz (both emerging), Mohammad Zeeshan, Danish Aziz, Kusal Mendis and Sean Abbott (all supplementary).
Alex Carey opts out of HBL PSL X
Australia's wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey who was picked by Islamabad United on Friday has opted out of the upcoming 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
This development comes as the defending champions are set to kick off their PSL 10 campaign against Lahore Qalandars today in Rawalpindi.
Carey was signed as a partial replacement for South Africa's Rassie van der Dussen. However, according to the team management, Carey will not be available for the tournament due to domestic cricket commitments in Australia.
The management also confirmed that van der Dussen will join the United squad soon.
It is pertinent to mention that the six-team tournament will feature a total of 34 matches from April 11 to May 18.
Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium will host 13 matches, including two Eliminators and the grand final.
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium will host 11 matches, including the first Qualifier on May 13, while Karachi's National Bank Stadium and Multan Cricket Stadium will each host five matches.
The event will also feature three double-headers - two on Saturdays and one on Labour Day (May 1).
Meanwhile, more than 5,000 personnel of the Rawalpindi Police have been deployed for the security of the first match of HBL Pakistan Super League X between Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday evening.
The Elite Force, Dolphin Force and police mobiles were carrying out patrol duties around the stadium and surrounding areas, a police spokesman said. A special control room had been set up for monitoring of the security arrangements through CCTV cameras, the spokesman added.
Cricket fans would be allowed to enter the stadium after passing through a walk-through gate and full body search, he added.
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