“Together We Rise,” is the promise ENGRO Pakistan and Quetta Gladiators made on Thursday, as the Pakistan Super League’s most under-rated but most successful franchise caught the big and most reputed fish in market as their sponsors for the third edition of the Pakistan Super League starting in two weeks time.
The name ENGRO is synonymous to growth as the widely acknowledged largest conglomerates of Pakistan is famous for their most used ENGRO EUREA and OLPERS MILK. So its befitting that the more fertilizer Quetta Gladiators put in their preparation for the PSL the more growth and success will be achieved.
Quetta Gladiators was the cheapest franchise amongst the five franchises. Bought at 11 million dollars for a period of ten years, Quetta Gladiators became the toast of PSL’s first two editions. They achieved the title of “most popular” franchise not only through their excellent performances on the field but also through exhibiting remarkable camaraderie.
Befittingly, the players also need OLPERS as tonic for their muscle and bone building so true to its owner Nadeem Omar’s words, “we have caught the biggest fish in the market.”
Quetta Gladiators was the cheapest franchise amongst the five franchises. Bought at 11 million dollars for a period of ten years, Quetta Gladiators became the toast of PSL’s first two editions. They achieved the title of “most popular” franchise not only through their excellent performances on the field but also through exhibiting remarkable camaraderie. They were famously called “The Quetta Family” with famous high fives between no less greater cricketer than Sir Viv Richards, hired admirably as mentor.
With Viv in the dugout and inspiring and pumping the players, the XI needed no more motivation. Under the unassuming guidance of Omar and “happy-go-lucky” and “watch with an eagle eye” coaching style of head coach Moin Khan and astute leadership of captain Sarfraz Ahmed, Quetta Gladiators finished runners-up in both the editions — a remarkable success rate.
Consider BIG BASH of Australia and if the PSL goes on that pattern, Quetta Gladiators are bound to be the winners of the third edition, just like Perth Scorchers did. The Perth Scorchers finished runners-up in the first two editions in 2011-12 and then 2012-13, but went on to win three of the next four editions. Can Quetta Gladiators be third time lucky? They can be, as they have the players and the wherewithal to achieve that.
That was the promise and intention of both Quetta and ENGRO showed in the small but graceful ceremony held at the picturesque head office of Omar Associates.
“With over hundred million viewers worldwide and a galaxy of national and international stars,” said Khan. “The PSL is the crown jewel of Pakistan sport which is why we are very excited to announce our association as official team sponsor of Quetta Gladiators.”
Moin promised he will do his best to keep the fighting spirit that so proudly Quetta exhibited in the first two editions.
“We (Gladiators) are all about Quetta family and when we started we were under-rated but praise to all the players and owner Nadeem Omar that we kept a competitive style and every player worked hard to achieve what we have achieved in the last two years,” said Moin, a former Pakistan captain and coach.
“We have been unlucky not to win the title but this time we have more vigor and better players to achieve the best.”
ENGRO President Ghias Khan also praised the PSL and Quetta outfit.
“With over hundred million viewers worldwide and a galaxy of national and international stars,” said Khan. “The PSL is the crown jewel of Pakistan sport which is why we are very excited to announce our association as official team sponsor of Quetta Gladiators.”
Khan praised the PCB to endeavor the return of international cricket back to Pakistan, with the last year’s final in Lahore on March 5 followed by the Twenty20 series with the World XI and a Twenty20 match against Sri Lanka.
Omar, widely regarded as the messiah of local cricketers, praised the QG spirit.
“To begin with we were a bit nervous to talk to ENGRO but once we started to negotiate everything worked out and here we are signing the deal,” said Omar. “We are a family like unit and with Viv around and Moin working so hard with the players its a satisfying campaign until now.”