KARACHI: Quetta Gladiators line-up will have a huge motivation this season of the HBL PSL due to the presence of former Pakistan's captain Shahid Afridi in their ranks. Afridi will also be a big plus for the Gladiators' skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed who will get Lala's support when he will need it while marshalling his troops.
Afridi already has won two editions of the country's marquee league when he was with Peshawar Zalmi and Multan Sultans, who won titles in 2017 and 2021, respectively.
This will be his last season of the HBL PSL. However he will keep playing in Kashmir Premier League (KPL) and T10 League.
Afridi said that he and Sarfaraz will try their level best so that their team makes minimum mistakes. "Along with Sarfaraz we will try our level best to motivate this team and teach it how to fight," Afridi told reporters here on Tuesday. "To discuss plans in the meeting is not difficult but the real problem is their execution. It's the responsibility of the players and skipper to execute those plans. It's not the responsibility of the coach," Afridi said.
"Yes, people expect from skipper and Gladiators' owner Nadeem Omar also wants his team to pull off better results in the captaincy of Sarfaraz," Afridi said.
He said that pressure is normal and can overwhelm the skipper also, irrespective of his stature as a player or how bold he is.
"As a senior player, I will try my level best to keep Sarfaraz aggressive," Afridi said. "It's a moment of extreme happiness for me that I am part of Gladiators for this season which is my last season. Sarfaraz has been one of my favourites. He is very aggressive and his body language is very positive and I like this. A skipper should lead his team from the front and all these qualities are there in Sarfaraz," said Afridi.
He said it was a tough decision to join Gladiators but he had committed last year with Nadeem Omar.
"I have been training regularly. Around three days ago I developed a groin issue but in the next couple of days I will recover from it," he said. "I am targeting both batting and bowling. Fielding is the core aspect of this format and from day-1 I have been fielding at the key areas. I will try my level best to assure the skipper that I am not an old man," Afridi said.
Afridi also showed concerns over the growing Covid-19 cases, saying there were forty percent positive cases in Karachi which is very high.
Meanwhile, Sarfaraz said that he always has been getting motivation from Afridi. "Since 2006 when I started as a young cricketer my association with Shahid bhai has been fairly good, both on and off the field. He has always supported me. His presence in Gladiators will definitely help the franchise," Sarfaraz said.
"We are to get the best out of Shahid Bhai; we are not to make him tired," Sarfaraz was quick to add.
Afridi also appreciated Gladiators' owner Nadeem Omar's services for the cricket of Karachi. "Nadeem bhai has done a lot of work for the cricketers of Karachi, more than anybody else.
Gladiators will have their mentor and former West Indies batting guru Viv Richards who is expected to arrive in Karachi soon. A Gladiators source told 'The News' that five of their overseas players will join the team before January 27, the opening day of the PSL.
