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Injuries, lack of proper team combination led to Quetta’s HBL PSL 6 exit: Moin

Gladiators failed to qualify for the playoffs of the event

Injuries, lack of proper team combination led to Quetta’s HBL PSL 6 exit: Moin PHOTO COURTESY: PCB

Quetta Gladiators’ Head Coach Moin Khan is unimpressed with his players’ performance, after his side failed to qualify for the playoffs of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) season six.

While talking to Cricket Pakistan in an exclusive interview, Moin lamented lack of a proper team combination during the event.  

“We didn’t perform well because we were unable to form a proper team combination. I can’t name even a single player who performed consistently during the event. Chris Gayle and, especially, Qais Ahmad’s absence hurt us after the league got postponed. Meanwhile, Faf du Plessis and Andre Russell also got injured during the second half of the event. Azam and Sarfaraz also didn’t perform in accordance with expectations,” said Moin.

“I might have made some mistakes as head coach too but ultimately it’s the players’ job to go out and perform on the field, which they weren’t able to do. There was lack of a proper approach by the players and they seem relaxed, which caused problems for us,” he added.

Moin also spoke in detail about Azam, who has been named in Pakistan’s T20 squad for the tour of England and West Indies.

“There is pressure in all forms of cricket, whether it’s club or international. The important thing is how you deal with that situation, which is something a player needs to learn. No doubt, Azam is a very talented player who can change the game with his batting but he still needs to put in the hard yards, when it comes to dealing with pressure situations,” he said.  

“It is easy to get into Pakistan team these days, as compared to our days in the past, but maintaining your place in the side is more difficult and he needs to work really hard inorder to do that,” he added.

He also believes that Sarfaraz needs to bat in the top-order.

“Sarfaraz didn’t perform well but he tried his best. I think he needs to promote himself in the batting order by opening or coming at one down, like Mohammad Rizwan. It gives the side an option to include an extra batsman and improves team combination,” he said.

Moin also said that players needs to respect their seniors, after the on-field altercation between Sarfaraz and Shaheen Afridi.

“These things happen in the heat of moment. I have played cricket so I totally understand a fast-bowler’s aggression but respect for a senior player is also important. Shaheen said some inappropriate things from mid-off, when he was not bowling, which Sarfaraz didn’t like. These young players need to realise that when they become seniors, their juniors will also do the same to them,” he concluded.