Quetta Gladiators represent the provincial capital of Balochistan in the Pakistan Super League. The franchise joined PSL in 2016 as one of the five founding teams. They lifted their first and only trophy in 2019 after beating Peshawar Zalmi by eight wickets in the final at Karachi. The team plays home matches at Bugti Stadium in Quetta, though most fixtures take place at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
The name ‘Gladiators’ draws from the fighting spirit of Balochistan. The logo features a Roman Galea helmet, the kind ancient gladiators wore in battle. Two cricket bats flank the helmet like swords, giving the design a warrior feel. The team colors are purple and gold. The famous chant ‘Kai Kai Quetta’ comes from a Baloch Regiment war cry used during World War II. It translates to ‘we are coming.’ Under the captaincy of Saud Shakeel, Quetta Gladiators look to reclaim the PSL title in 2026.
Quetta Gladiators – Ownership
Nadeem Omar owns Quetta Gladiators. The businessman and head of Omar Associates, a Karachi-based construction company, purchased the franchise in December 2015. He has led the team through ten seasons of PSL cricket.
The Pakistan Cricket Board sold the Quetta franchise to Omar Associates for US$11 million over a ten-year period. In November 2025, after the original contract ended, the franchise renewed its rights for another decade from 2026 to 2035. The renewal followed a fresh valuation by Ernst & Young, which shifted the financial model from US dollars to Pakistani Rupees. Under the new deal, the annual franchise fee stands at Rs. 340 million.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi praised Nadeem Omar for his services to PSL, calling the renewal a sign of growing confidence in the league. Omar also owns the Galle Gladiators in the Lanka Premier League. He serves as the President of the Karachi City Cricket Association and the Pakistan Scrabble Association. His love for sports and cricket development in Pakistan runs deep.
Quetta Gladiators Squad 2026
The following table shows the Quetta Gladiators squad for the PSL 2026 season:
| Player | Role | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Abrar Ahmed | Bowler | Platinum |
| Spencer Johnson | Bowler | Platinum |
| Rilee Rossouw | Batter | Platinum |
| Usman Tariq | Bowler | Diamond |
| Tom Curran | All-rounder | Diamond |
| Hasan Nawaz | Batter | Diamond |
| Saud Shakeel (C) | Batter | Diamond |
| Jahandad Khan | Bowler | Gold |
| Faisal Akram | Bowler | Gold |
| Arafat Minhas | All-rounder | Gold |
| Khawaja Nafay | Batter | Gold |
| Sam Harper | Wicketkeeper | Silver |
| Bevon Jacobs | Batter | Silver |
| Brett Hampton | All-rounder | Silver |
| Waseem Akram Jr. | Bowler | Silver |
| Khan Zaib | Bowler | Silver |
| Bismillah Khan | Wicketkeeper | Silver |
| Saqib Khan | Bowler | Silver |
| Shamyl Hussain | All-rounder | Emerging |
Quetta Gladiators Squad – Players To Watch
Saud Shakeel (Captain) — The elegant left-handed batter takes charge of Quetta Gladiators for PSL 2026. Shakeel brings calm and composure to the batting lineup. His ability to pace an innings and rotate the strike keeps the scoreboard ticking. He also reads match situations well, making him a smart choice to lead the side this season.
Abrar Ahmed — The mystery spinner holds the key to Quetta’s bowling attack. Abrar troubles batters with his sharp leg-spin and googly variations. He picks wickets in clusters and can turn a game on its head during the middle overs. He claimed 17 wickets in PSL 2025, making him one of the tournament’s leading spinners. The franchise retained him as their top pick for PSL 2026, underscoring his centrality to their plans.
Rilee Rossouw — The South African power-hitter adds serious firepower to the batting order. He holds three centuries in the PSL, tied for the most by any batter in the league alongside Kamran Akmal and Usman Khan. His ability to hit boundaries at will makes him a nightmare for bowling attacks. Rossouw smashed 104 off just 46 balls against Islamabad United in PSL 2025. He and Hasan Nawaz scored centuries in the same innings, a first in PSL history.
Spencer Johnson — The Australian left-arm pacer joins Quetta as a direct signing for PSL 2026. His pace and bounce on Pakistani pitches could trouble top-order batters. Johnson adds an extra dimension to the Gladiators’ bowling lineup, which needed a quality fast bowler alongside the spin duo of Abrar and Usman Tariq.
Hasan Nawaz — The young Pakistani batter emerged as a star performer in PSL 2025 with 399 runs at an average of 57.00 and a strike rate of 162.19. He was named Player of the Tournament. He scored an unbeaten century against Islamabad United, joining Rossouw in a record-breaking innings where Quetta posted 263/3, the highest total in PSL history. His fearless batting approach and clean hitting make him one of the most exciting young talents in the league.
Season-by-Season Performance
The following table shows Quetta Gladiators’ performance across all PSL seasons:
| Season | Played | Won | Lost | NR | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | Runners-up |
| 2017 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | Runners-up |
| 2018 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | Eliminated |
| 2019 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | Champions |
| 2020 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 1 | Eliminated |
| 2021 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | Eliminated |
| 2022 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | Eliminated |
| 2023 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | Eliminated |
| 2024 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 | Eliminated |
| 2025 | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | Runners-up |
Leading Run Scorers (All-Time)
| Player | Innings | Runs | High Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sarfaraz Ahmed | 73 | 1,525 | 81 |
| Rilee Rossouw | 52 | 1170 | 104 |
| Jason Roy | 33 | 1087 | 145* |
| Shane Watson | 31 | 996 | 91* |
| Ahmed Shehzad | 35 | 904 | 99 |
Leading Wicket Takers (All-Time)
| Player | Innings | Wickets | Best Figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammad Nawaz | 76 | 70 | 4/13 |
| Mohammad Hasnain | 39 | 51 | 4/25 |
| Abrar Ahmed | 22 | 33 | 4/42 |
| Naseem Shah | 29 | 26 | 5/20 |
| Khurram Shahzad | 12 | 24 | 4/22 |
Best Individual Batting Performances
| Player | Score | Opponent | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jason Roy | 145* | Peshawar Zalmi | 2023 |
| Martin Guptill | 117 | Islamabad United | 2023 |
| Jason Roy | 116* | Lahore Qalandars | 2022 |
| Rilee Rossouw | 104* | Islamabad United | 2025 |
| Hasan Nawaz | 100 | Islamabad United | 2025 |
Best Individual Bowling Performances
| Player | Figures | Opponent | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naseem Shah | 5/20 | Kings | 2022 |
| Faheem Ashraf | 5/33 | Peshawar Zalmi | 2025 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 4/13 | Peshawar Zalmi | 2016 |
| Grant Elliot | 4/21 | Karachi Kings | 2016 |
| Sohail Tanveer | 4/21 | Islamabad United | 2019 |
Highest Team Scores
| Score | Opponent | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 263/3 | Islamabad United | Rawalpindi | 2025 |
| 253/8 | Multan Sutans | Rawalpindi | 2023 |
| 243/2 | Peshawar Zalmi | Rawalpindi | 2023 |
| 216/3 | Peshawar Zalmi | Rawalpindi | 2025 |
| 209/6 | Islamabad United | Lahore | 2025 |
Lowest Team Scores
| Score | Opponent | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 73/10 | Multan Sultans | Lahore | 2021 |
| 90/10 | Peshawar Zalmi | Sharjah | 2017 |
| 98/10 | Lahore Qualandars | Karachi | 2020 |
| 102/10 | Multan Sultans | Dubai | 2018 |
| 137/8 | Lahore Qualandars | Lahore | 2019 |
The Quetta Gladiators Journey
Quetta Gladiators entered PSL in 2016 and immediately made an impact, reaching the final in their debut season before losing to Islamabad United.
More heartbreak followed in 2017 when they fell to Peshawar Zalmi by 58 runs after several key foreign players withdrew due to security concerns.
The Gladiators finally got their hands on the trophy in 2019 under Sarfaraz Ahmed, with Shane Watson’s 430 runs and Mohammad Hasnain’s pace bowling driving them to the title. Watson was named Player of the Tournament for his efforts.
A difficult spell followed from 2020 to 2023, with Quetta missing the playoffs for four consecutive seasons.
The 2024 season marked a turning point as they returned to form, and 2025 was even more impressive. They topped the points table, set the highest-ever PSL total of 263/3 against Islamabad United, and reached the final, only to fall narrowly to Lahore Qalandars. With momentum and a refreshed squad, Quetta enters PSL 2026 hungry for their second title.