Quetta Gladiators receiving a stick from locals for lacking local flavour

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) fans are eagerly waiting for the third season of Pakistani cricketing extravaganza. But that is not the case with the fan base of the Quetta Gladiators team, who are furious at their franchise for not having a single player from Quetta or Balochistan region which is the origin of the team.

Not just the fans, the president of Quetta Cricket Association, Murad Ismail and the president of Pak Sarzameen Party, have expressed their disgust with the team owners for not backing local flair. Bismillah Khan, the top-order batter from Balochistan was a part of the Gladiators for the first two seasons. However, the team management decided to release him this year and look elsewhere.

Appeal to the PCB

“If they don’t want to pick any player from Quetta or Balochistan then they should just change their name from Quetta Gladiators to Karachi Gladiators. I appeal to the PCB to take action against this team and hand over its management to someone who will work for players of Quetta,” said Ismail, as per reports in The Express Tribune.

Mustafa Kamal also shared a similar opinion and said, “It’s good that the third edition of the PSL is going to take place but the Gladiators team, which represents Quetta, doesn’t have any player from Balochistan.”

Reply from the owner

Owner of the Quetta Gladiators, Nadeem Omer knows that the fans are disgusted at his team management, and in order to make amends, he has confirmed that the 21st player that he will pick will be from Quetta. “We will be picking their 21st player from Quetta; whoever is the best available player. It can be an emerging youngster or an experienced senior but there will be one player from Quetta that will travel with the side in PSL 3,” Omer said.