Daily Times

KARACHI: Pakistan’s batsmen Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad, during a press conference on Monday, claimed that they wanted to put behind the controversies surrounding them and perform well for their franchise Quetta Gladiators in the upcoming edition of the Habib Bank Limited (HBL) Pakistan Super League (PSL) 5. Shehzad claimed that problems were a part of life whereas Akmal emphasized that he was focused on the upcoming HBL PSL. “Problems are a part of life. I want to play great cricket for Quetta Gladiators,” Shehzad said. “My complete focus is on the PSL. I want to move ahead of all the controversies,” Akmal added. Pakistan’s former skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed claimed that the franchise tried to maintain the same squad as last year. “We tried to keep the same team as last year,” Sarfaraz said. “The players included this time around are very good.”

The Quetta Gladiators’ coach Moin Khan expressed hope that the team would perform well in the upcoming PSL5 because of the talent in the squad. “The rules for the draft were very tough which is why we could not retain some players. We are hopeful to put on a good show,” Moin said. “The influx of young talent has made our team better. The team has some great players who have made their mark on T20 cricket.” Australia’s Shane Watson, the highest run-scorer for Quetta Gladiators in the HBL PSL, believed that the upcoming edition of the PSL will be great for the fans.

“I think this season of the PSL will also be a good one. We have a very good squad. Moin Khan has combined some great players. I saw that the fans in Quetta gave us a grand welcome. If I get the chance I would love to go to Quetta and meet the fans,” Watson said. Pakistan’s fast-bowler Naseem Shah, who became the youngest cricketer in Test cricket to take a hat-trick against Bangladesh recently, stated that he would perform well for his side if given a chance during the PSL. “I was with Quetta Gladiators last year as well but could not play because of an injury. If I get the chance to play I will perform well for my team,” Shah said. All 34 matches of PSL5 are set to be played across four international venues of the country, Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi, from February 20 to March 22.