Lahore Qalandars sign top international stars for 2024 Global Super League

The Lahore Qalandars have bolstered their squad for the upcoming inaugural edition of the Global Super League (GSL) by signing five high-profile international cricketers, including South Africa’s Tabraiz Shamsi and West Indies’ Carlos Brathwaite. The league kicks off on November 26, and Qalandars aim to make a strong showing with their newly acquired talent.

Joining Shamsi and Brathwaite in the Qalandars' lineup are England’s Adam Rossington, Tom Abell, and Luke Wells. While the team’s local roster will be announced soon, Lahore Qalandars is also expected to confirm that key internationals, including Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, and Abdullah Shafique, are unlikely to participate due to their commitments to Pakistan’s upcoming international schedule.

Sameen Rana, the owner of Lahore Qalandars, expressed his enthusiasm for the new players, confident that their skills and experience would help lead the team to GSL success.

“I am excited to welcome this talented group of foreign cricketers to the Lahore Qalandars family. We are confident that their experience will guide the Qalandars to success in the Global Super League,” said Rana. He added that the team is determined to represent Pakistan with pride and deliver a performance that fans can support wholeheartedly.

Qalandars’ newly appointed head coach, Darren Gough, shared his excitement about the acquisitions, emphasizing the balance the international signings bring to the team.

“Carlos Brathwaite’s experience and all-round abilities, combined with the talents of Adam Rossington, Tom Abell, Luke Wells, and Tabraiz Shamsi, make for a strong team. I’m thrilled to work alongside them, and hopefully, we can bring home another trophy for the Qalandars,” Gough said.

The Qalandars will begin their GSL 2024 campaign with the curtain-raiser against Guyana Amazon Warriors on November 26. The five-team T20 league will feature a round-robin format, with teams including England’s Hampshire Hawks, Bangladesh’s Rangpur Riders, and Australia’s Victoria state team. Each team will play the others once, culminating in an exciting final on December 7 between the top two teams.