Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed is stepping into a fresh chapter of his cricketing journey as Team Director of Quetta Gladiators in the ongoing HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) X. The 2019 champions, currently placed fifth on the points table with one win from three matches, have returned to Lahore after playing in Rawalpindi and Karachi. With five home fixtures lined up in the provincial capital, the team has begun training at the LCCA Ground, a venue recently used during the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2025. Sarfaraz, who captained Pakistan to notable triumphs including the ICC U19 World Cup (2006) and the ICC Champions Trophy (2017), also led the Gladiators to their maiden HBL PSL title in 2019. Now, in a new leadership role, he is focused on steering the team from the dugout. Speaking to PCB Digital, Sarfaraz termed the transition from player to Team Director as both “exciting” and “challenging.” “It’s not easy for a player to move into a coaching role, but over time, one has to evolve and adapt,” he said. “I have been with Quetta since the beginning of PSL, and this role allows me to give back in a different capacity.” He also highlighted the league’s evolution: “The PSL has grown immensely since 2016. The PCB and all stakeholders have worked hard to make it a success. We need to continue collaborating to make it a global brand.” Reflecting on Quetta’s 2019 title-winning campaign, Sarfaraz said, “That win was a memorable one. We had the right combination that year, and we are aiming to recreate that success this season.” On the team’s overseas recruitment for this edition, he expressed optimism: “We didn’t perform well over the past three seasons, but this time we’ve selected overseas players suited to T20 cricket. We are hopeful of delivering better results.” Sarfaraz also praised young talents Hasan Nawaz and Khawaja Nafay. “Hasan is a promising player and this is a great opportunity for him. Khawaja was picked in the Emerging category last year and has done well domestically. Both have a lot to learn from this platform.” On Saud Shakeel’s leadership, he added: “Saud has the full backing of the team. He showed strong captaincy in our first win, and although we lost the next two, we trust him to take the team forward.”