New Punjab Kings signing surprisingly named captain of PSL team

South African batter Rilee Rossouw has been appointed the new captain of Quetta Gladiators. Rossouw replaces Sarfaraz Ahmed just a few days before PSL 9 gets underway. The move has come in as a surprise, especially when Sarfaraz stood alongside other captains during the unveiling of the PSL trophy in Lahore

Sarfaraz Ahmed was elected Quetta Gladiators’ captain in 2016. The wicketkeeper led Gladiators to the final in 2016 and 2017, but the team lost both of them. In 2019 though, Quetta Gladiators won its first PSL trophy under him.

Meanwhile, Rilee Rossouw has never led his side in a T20 match before. But, he is an experienced T20 player who plays franchise cricket across the globe. The veteran left-hander is the highest overseas run-getter in PSL with 1867 runs in 74 matches. He has accumulated these runs at an average of 34.57 and an excellent strike rate of 146.54.

‘There is no doubt about his leadership skills’ – Nadeem Omar on Sarfaraz Ahmed’s captaincy

Quetta Gladiators owner Nadeem Omar recently stated that Sarfaraz Ahmed has played a big role in Quetta Gladiators’ success. “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,” Nadeem said in an interview.

“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," he further added.

Read: CSK player takes stunning hat-trick, makes fifty in Bangladesh Premier League

Quetta Gladiators finished sixth in PSL 2023 with 6 points from 10 matches. The PSL 2024 begins on February 17 in Lahore with the match between Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United.

Meanwhile, Rilee Rossouw was signed by Punjab Kings for IPL 2024 for INR 8 crore in this season’s auction.