• Quetta Gladioators named Rilee Rossouw as new captain.
• Saud Shakeel has been appointed vice-captain.
• Shane Watson made the announcement during press conferene.

Rilee Rossouw, a cricketer from South Africa, has been named the new captain of the Quetta Gladiators for the forthcoming ninth season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

In addition to Rossouw, Saud Shakeel has been designated as the team’s vice-captain, signaling a fresh leadership phase for the franchise.

Sarfaraz Ahmed, who is recognized for his remarkable PSL performance, having won 38 out of 80 matches and secured the 2019 championship, is now handing over the leadership to Rossouw.

Shane Watson, the head coach of the Gladiators, announced Rossouw’s appointment during a team gathering in Lahore.

The decision was made after extensive discussions by the team management, as disclosed by Nadeem Omar, the Quetta Gladiators’ owner, in an exclusive conversation with Cricket Pakistan.

Omar underscored Rossouw’s potential as a captain, alluding to the strategic insight and leadership skills that the South African cricketer possesses.

“Sarfaraz Ahmed has always been in our hearts. He has played a big part in Quetta Gladiators’ success. He has led for 8 years. For Pakistan team, Karachi, and our club, he has always fulfilled his duties with dedication. There is no doubt about his leadership skills. Unfortunately, the franchise’s performance has been up and down in the last 3-4 years. It is said that the captain performs well only when the team is good. This time the team has improved. Now our new coach Shane Watson has come to Pakistan. He believes Sarfaraz should be given a break from captaincy. We have not made any final decision yet,” Nadeem said.

“Rilee Rossouw, a possible alternative, has not led any team yet, so we are confused. Whether Sarfaraz is captain or not, this team will remain his. If we feel satisfied, we will make a decision. We have left this decision to Sarfaraz and Watson. The way the team has performed, people also want change. We have made enough changes,” he further added.

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