The auction for Pakistan Super League 2026 has been completed. The teams are now finalized, and discussions and analyses are underway which team looks stronger, which squad appears more balanced.

In this context, let’s talk about the champions of Pakistan Super League Season 4 (2019), Quetta Gladiators.

When the team owner Nadeem Omar was asked why they did not pick all-rounder Faheem Ashraf, fast bowler Mohammad Amir, and Mohammad Wasim Jr in the auction, he openly admitted that he regrets not including those players in the squad.

Nadeem Omar, who is also the President of the Karachi City Cricket Association and regarded as one of Pakistan’s well-known business executives, said that they have always lived their lives with honesty. However, he added that what happened in the auction as opposed to the draft was something they were perhaps not prepared for.

He clearly stated that instead of going into details, it is better to simply say that the draft system was better.

When I asked Nadeem Omar why, despite having mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed and Usman Tariq in the squad, he opted for left-arm wrist spinner Faisal Akram, he responded with a smile, “Good question.”

He added that it may seem like a wrong decision to you right now. However, when we play Faisal in the Playing XI alongside Abrar and Usman according to match situations, you will appreciate our selection.

Quetta Gladiators is a team in the Pakistan Super League that played three finals in the first four seasons. However, over the past five years, the team has experienced many ups and downs.

This season, Nadeem Omar’s franchise has once again seemingly relied more on its own core players. Before the auction, Quetta had already included mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed, aggressive batter Hassan Nawaz, young left-handed batter Shamyl Hussain, and right-arm off-break bowler Usman Tariq among their first four retained players.

Wicketkeeper-batter Khawaja Muhammad Nafay had a base price of 1.1 crores in the Pakistan Super League auction. However, Nadeem Omar secured the aggressive right-handed batter for 6.5 crores in the auction, outbidding Islamabad United.

Was it an emotional decision?

When asked, Nadeem Omar said, “Absolutely not. It was a decision made from the heart, and I am completely satisfied with it.”

He explained that they had nurtured and developed Saim Ayub, but he is no longer with them. However, in the case of Khawaja Nafay, they did not want to make any compromises.”He is our product, and we made sure to bring him back into the team.”

Quetta Gladiators have strengthened their top order by picking Australia’s experienced batter Ben McDermott, who has played 5 ODIs and 25 T20Is for Australia.

They also acquired right-handed batter Sam Harper, who represents the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League. Harper has a strike rate of 134.40.

In addition, they selected 23-year-old youngster Bevon Jacobs, a right-handed batter with an impressive strike rate of 146.62.

In the Pakistan Super League 2026, the squad of Quetta Gladiators consists of the following players.

1-Bismillah Khan

2-Sam Harper

3-Hasan Nawaz

4-Bevon Jacobs

5-Khawaja Nafay

6-Ben McDermott

7-Rilee Rossouw

8-Saud Shakeel

9-Shamyl Hussain

10-Tom Curran

11-Jahandad Khan

12-Abrar Ahmed

13-Arafat Minhas

14-Faisal Akram

15-Spencer Johnson

16-Usman Tariq

17-Wasim Akram

18-Brett Hampton

19-Khan Zaib

20-Saqib Khan