The future of Sarfaraz Ahmed as captain of Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is under consideration, and an eight-year stint at the helm may be coming to an end. The team has already made significant changes to the coaching staff, with Moin Khan moving to a directorship role and former player Shane Watson taking over as coach. Shaun Tait has also been appointed as the fast-bowling coach in an effort to improve the team’s performance, as they have gone from being the most consistent PSL side to the most underperforming over the past four years.
Watson is in favor of a change and there are potential replacements being considered, including Rilee Rossouw and Saud Shakeel. Gladiators owner Nadeem Omar has expressed his uncertainty about replacing Sarfaraz as captain, pointing out the intimate relationship the franchise has with its players. Sarfaraz himself has reportedly agreed to step aside if necessary.
Sarfaraz has been the captain of Gladiators since the PSL’s inauguration in 2016 and has a successful track record, leading the team to the final and even winning the PSL in 2019. However, the team’s performance has declined in recent years, with them missing out on the playoffs and finishing at the bottom or near the bottom of the table consistently.
Sarfaraz is currently in Australia with the Pakistan Test side, where they suffered a heavy defeat in the opening Test match against Australia. The final decision about Sarfaraz’s future as captain is yet to be made after discussions with Watson and the coaching staff.
