Saud Shakeel Remains Positive Despite Gladiators’ Opening Defeat Against Karachi Kings

Quetta Gladiators captain Saud Shakeel wasn’t a happy man after facing defeat against Karachi Kings in the tournament opener. However, he believes it is just the start of the league, and there are plenty of matches left for his team to move up the points table.

Speaking after the Kings vs Gladiators clash, Saud Shakeel admitted that his team was a bit rusty, which is why they couldn’t produce their best performance. He is hopeful that the Gladiators will turn things around in the next match, as they have plenty of talent.

"I think our start was rusty. They played better cricket, and we were second best. But it's just the first match, and we can improve," said Saud Shakeel.

The Gladiators started strongly while chasing 182, thanks to a 50 off 21 balls from their young opener Shamyl Hussain. However, the former champions struggled in the middle overs and eventually lost by 14 runs.

Looking back at the game, Saud praised the youngster and said the team tried to stretch the innings too long. He called his own dismissal the turning point and admitted that their fielding could have been sharper.

"I have watched Shamyl since long, he has been so good and his batting is powerful," said Saud Shakeel.

"We could have done better in the field, and we lost momentum in the middle by trying to take the game too deep. My wicket was a turning point." added Saud Shakeel.

Saud is confident that the team will come back with a strong performance against Hyderabad Kingsmen in the next game. It is expected to be a tight contest, as both teams are looking to secure a victory after getting defeated in their tournament openers.