Karachi, May 6, 2025: Quetta Gladiators, the 2019 Pakistan Super League (PSL) champions, have officially become the first team to secure a spot in the PSL 10 playoffs, the league confirmed on Tuesday.
The announcement was made across PSL’s official social media platforms through a themed animated poster featuring captain Saud Shakeel, veteran pacer Mohammad Amir, and explosive batter Rilee Rossouw. “The Gladiators are in,” read the caption, celebrating the team’s qualification. “Quetta Gladiators have marched into the playoffs — who’s ready?”
Quetta currently sit at the top of the PSL 10 table with 11 points from eight matches and a healthy net run rate of 0.906.
The team made a strong start to their campaign with a dominant 80-run victory over arch-rivals Peshawar Zalmi, showcasing a comprehensive all-round performance. However, they stumbled in the next two fixtures, suffering heavy defeats to Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings, which briefly saw them slip toward the lower half of the standings — just ahead of Multan Sultans, who have since been eliminated from playoff contention.
Under the leadership of Saud Shakeel, Quetta made a remarkable comeback, winning four of their next five matches. One match, against Lahore Qalandars, was abandoned due to weather.
Although the Gladiators have already secured their place in the playoffs, their final two league-stage matches remain crucial. A top-two finish would provide them with two chances to reach the final, a significant strategic advantage under the PSL playoff format.
Quetta are set to face defending champions Islamabad United on Wednesday in Rawalpindi, followed by their last group match against bottom-placed Multan Sultans on Sunday.