KARACHI: With a new captain and a reorganized management team, the Quetta Gladiators entered the ninth season of the HBL Pakistan Super League with high expectations.
The former champions appeared to have made a direct impact as they won their first three games of the season. Although they experienced some nervousness later in the season, they were able to qualify for the playoffs after a four-year hiatus.
There were wild celebrations in the Gladiators camp as they defeated Lahore Qalandars in their penultimate league-stage match thanks to a tremendous hit for six from Mohammad Wasim.
By then, it appeared as though the former Gladiators—those who embodied the spirit of the unwavering underdog—were returning to contend for their second championship.
However, that was not intended to be the case. They lost against Multan Sultans by 79 runs in their final league stage encounter, meaning the Quetta team was not able to secure a qualifying berth.
They collapsed like a squad of schoolboys on Friday night in the Eliminator against Islamabad United.
They were chasing 175 and had already lost five wickets well before the powerplay ended. They could only muster 133, and the outcome would have been far worse if not for Omair Bin Yousuf’s heroic fifty.
After the game, Omair told reporters, “I think our top order batted in a hurry and lost their wickets cheaply as a result.” “Every team experiences highs and lows, but we are eager to take lessons from this campaign.”
Omair gave credit to Gladiators’ head coach Shane Watson, who took over for Moin Khan before the season, and captain Rilee Rossouw, who assumed the role when Sarfraz Ahmed was fired, for fostering a positive atmosphere in the team’s locker room.
The right-handed batter stated, “I think I’ve learned a lot from both, because they have both been very good players and among the best in this format.” Both have maintained a really positive vibe.
They have offered me fresh insight on how to advance in my cricket career, and I have no doubt that other young players on the team feel the same way.
