Perhaps, slowly, Quetta Gladiators is on a franchise course-correction after multiple years in the wilderness. After four successive first-round exits, the 2019 champions made the playoffs in 2024 before dominating the group stages last year, and storming into the final, only to be denied the trophy in a last-gasp thriller. That encouraging platform is what the Gladiators will try to use to mount another serious challenge, with the priority on ensuring stability rather than sweeping changes. Saud Shakeel remains captain, with Gladiators stalwart Rilee Rossouw still in the mix alongside a strong local core that offered the Gladiators such stability last year. All they need is to go one better.
Best result: Champions (2019)
2025 finish: 1st (runners-up)
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Strengths
- Dual spin threat of Abrar Ahmed and Usman Tariq. That means the Gladiators spin attack is the same as Pakistan's current first-choice T20 attack
- Formidable middle-order power hitting ability with Rossouw, Hasan Nawaz and Khawaja Nafay
Weaknesses
- Over the years, Gladiators have shed high-pace bowlers like Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Wasim Jnr and Mohammad Hasnain without ever properly replacing them. The fast bowling appears slightly light, propped up by Alzarri Joseph, with Jahandad Khan, Tom Curran and Ahmed Daniyal for company
- Shakeel is not a modern T20 opener, with his limited ability as a power hitter. Last year, he was Gladiators' opener and is likely to reprise that role. That means last year's finalists may not be taking full advantage of the powerplay
Whether this is a new franchise or not is something of a philosophical question. Multan Sultans were put up for sale this year, with the new owners rebranding the team after Rawalpindi, the capital Islamabad's twin city. They have retained some of the players from last year's Sultans side, including the captain, Mohammad Rizwan. However, a clean break from that Sultans side is not necessarily the worst thing, given the horror campaign they endured last season, winning just one of their ten games. It is a far cry from the previous four seasons, when they made the final each year. Rawalpindi Pindiz will hope last year was the aberration to that trend and not the new normal for this phoenix franchise.
Strengths
- Daryl Mitchell was the PSL's most expensive overseas buy at the auction, and is arguably the standout batting talent at the PSL. Alongside Yasir Khan, Sam Billings, and the young Abdullah Fazal, Pindiz have managed to snare a core of aggressive top-order players
- Decent spin attack, with Rishad Hossain, Asif Afridi and 21-year-old Saad Masood all part of the squad
Weaknesses
- Real dearth of established quality fast bowling. Mohammad Amir and Naseem headline that department, but the drop-off is steep, with the untested Jalat Khan and Mohammad Amir Khan the only other specialist quicks
- Rizwan's T20 stock has fallen significantly since his heyday and, just like Shakeel, lacks the intent and power at the top of the order most franchises look for