DUBAI: Asad Shafiq, Pakistan’s test player and Quetta Gladiators’ opening batsman, has said that Quetta Gladiators will bounce back in the second phase of Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Speaking to Dawn exclusively here on Sunday, Shafiq said that Quetta Gladiators had got off to a good start, but consecutive losses have halted their progress. “It happens very often when you play back to back games. The tournament, however, is pretty much open and the sort of team we have, I am sure that we will bounce back,” said Shafiq.

Quetta Gladiators have played five games so far and have managed to win only two out of those. They lost a close game to Peshawar Zalmi in which Darren Sammy, who had injured himself during the game, smashed Anwar Ali all over the park to win the game for his side. In the following game against Multan Sultans, their batting line up was completely blown away by Imran Tahir handing him his first hattrick of the PSL.

When asked to comment on the criticism on his selection in Quetta Gladiators, Shafiq said that he had a good List A season before coming into the PSL and had scored almost 1000 runs with a couple of centuries.

“I am working hard to prove the critics that I can be good enough in the 50-over and T20 formats,” said Shafiq.

“All you can do is perform well. And hopefully, if I got the opportunity again in the next phase, I’ll make the most of it,” he added further.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2018