In the wake of a robust maiden PSL campaign, the stakes couldn't be higher for the Quetta Gladiators. Will they still be able to find success, now that they are perceived as being among the favourites?

By Muhammad Ahmad Ansari (28th January, 2017)

Full Squad: Kevin Pietersen (ENG), Sarfraz Ahmed, Ahmed Shehzad, Mahmudullah (BAN), Luke Wright (ENG), Anwar Ali, Tymal Mills (ENG), Umar Gul, Zulfiqar Babar, Rilee Rossouw (SA), Mohammad Nawaz, Asad Shafiq, Saad Nasim, Umar Amin, Hasan Khan, Noor Wali

Supplementary: Nathan McCullum (NZ), Thisara Perera (SL), Bismillah Khan, Mir Hamza

Captain: Sarfraz Ahmed

Coaching Staff: Sir Viv Richards (Team Mentor), Moin Khan (Head Coach), Abdul Razzaq (Assistant/Bowling Coach), Julien Fountain (Fielding Coach)

Having exceeded expectations with a runner-up finish in the first edition of the PSL, it’s safe to say Quetta Gladiators are no longer considered the underdogs.

With an enigmatic captain and dynamic wicketkeeper-batsman in Sarfraz Ahmed, a bona fide T20 superstar in the brash Kevin Pietersen and Ahmed Shehzad - (Quetta’s top-scorer in the first edition of the PSL) whose recent performances in domestic Limited-Overs cricket indicate that he is in the form of his life - opening the batting, the team’s batting line-up is blessed with a strong, experienced core.

The reliability of this core group of batsmen is well complemented by the likes of Luke Wright and Rilee Rossouw; aggressive dashers thoroughly capable of upping the ante to great effect. However, accumulators in the mould of Asad Shafiq and Umar Amin are not really suited to the fast-paced modern T20 game and could prove to be liabilities in high-scoring encounters.

Apart from a well-rounded batting line-up, Gladiators also have a versatile bowling attack, particularly when the types of pitches encountered in the UAE are taken into consideration. A rich blend of experienced operators in the vein of death-bowling specialist Umar Gul and Zulfiqar Babar are strongly complemented by tearaway English pacer, Tymal Mills.

All-rounders play a major role in this side. Anwar Ali gives them a canny line and length medium-fast bowler, who can provide impetus with the bat in the latter stages of the innings and is a live wire in the field, but he does struggle to provide regular breakthroughs at times and cannot really be considered a strike bowler. Mohammad Nawaz, who was a revelation in the first edition of the PSL, where he befuddled many batsmen with his turn and guile to become Quetta’s top wicket-taker, is a vital pillar of this bowling attack on the turning UAE pitches. Mahmudullah can be a decent finisher with bat and ball but has been out of form in Bangladesh's recent matches. Saad Nasim is a handy utility cricketer, who brings variety to the spin attack in the form of leg spin and can be relied upon to score some runs.

The team will be managed by head coach Moin Khan, who will look to ensure his team can live up to heightened expectations in the wake of a fruitful maiden PSL campaign, where they finished just a win away from lifting the title. Team mentor Viv Richards is tasked with inspiring his players to play to their full potential, while assistant/bowling coach Abdul Razzaq will hope to guide the bowling attack to success. The competence of the team as a fielding unit will depend upon Julien Fountain, the fielding coach.

Quetta Gladiators have a strong all-round squad, equipped with a wide range of quality players as well as an impressive coaching team, which is bound to present a great challenge to all their opponents and place them firmly among the favourites to go all the way in the second edition of the Pakistan Super League.

Key man: Kevin Pietersen

Players to watch out for: Ahmed Shehzad, Rilee Rossouw, Tymal Mills and Mohammad Nawaz

Discuss!