PSL 9: Shocking reason why Watson didn’t allow Rutherford back in Gladiators’ XI

Wasim Akram has disclosed why Sherfane Rutherford wasn't in Quetta Gladiators' XI against Islamabad United in the first eliminator of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9 on Friday.

Rutherford rejoined the team before the aforementioned match, which they lost by 39 runs and crashed out of the tournament.

Akram revealed that Gladiators' coach, Shane Watson, made the decision not to include Rutherford because he had left the team midway.

Watson had declared at the start of the tournament that no player would be allowed back in the XI if they left midway.

"He [Watson] told at the start of the tournament that nobody would leave the side in the middle and if anyone comes back, he wouldn’t be allowed back in playing XI. Watson did something we Pakistanis can't even think and did the right thing," Wasim said on a local sports channel.

Rutherford left the season nine midway before Gladiators’ clash against Peshawar Zalmi on March 8, as he returned back home for family reasons.

Rutherford scored 151 runs in six innings in the ninth edition of PSL at a healthy strike rate of 148.03, which includes an unbeaten 58-run knock in the last-ball win against Karachi Kings.