In preparation for the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024 season, Quetta Gladiators have undergone a significant change by appointing former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson as their new head coach.
This move signifies a notable shift for the Gladiators, marking their first coaching change since the league’s inception. Moin Khan, the former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter, who has held the coaching role for the past eight years, is poised to take on the position of team director.
The official announcement regarding Watson’s appointment was made by the PSL franchise through their official channels. The decision to bring in Watson may be attributed to the Gladiators’ recent underwhelming performances in the tournament, having missed playoff spots for four consecutive seasons.
In the initial four editions of the PSL, the Gladiators stood out as one of the top franchises, reaching the final thrice and securing the championship in 2019. Shane Watson, a pivotal addition to the team in 2018, played a crucial role in their success throughout his three-year tenure, earning recognition as arguably their greatest overseas player.
His standout performance in 2019, where he led the run-scoring charts with 430 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 143.81, culminated in him being crowned Player of the Tournament.
Despite their early triumphs, the Gladiators encountered challenges in the subsequent four years, consistently falling short of playoff contention. Notably, the team retained Moin Khan as the coach and Sarfaraz Ahmed as the captain during this period.
Following his retirement from all forms of cricket in 2020, Watson transitioned into coaching. In 2022, he assumed the role of assistant coach for the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Delhi Capitals and later took on the position of head coach for the San Francisco Unicorns in Major League Cricket (MLC).
Watson’s legacy in limited-overs cricket is illustrious, with 5757 runs in 190 ODIs at an average of 40.54, accompanied by 168 wickets. In T20Is, he accumulated 1462 runs at a striking rate of 145.32, while also contributing with 48 wickets. His wealth of experience and success as a player positions him as a promising leader for the Gladiators in his new coaching role.
