PSL 2026: Quetta Gladiators face backlash after selection blunder, fans raise doubts

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) has once again come under criticism after a bizarre team selection incident involving Quetta Gladiators during Match 26 against Lahore Qalandars.

Ahead of the game, the Gladiators had officially announced that Dinesh Chandimal would replace Bevon Jacobs in the squad. However, confusion arose at the toss when captain Saud Shakeel revealed that both Chandimal and Jacobs were included in the Playing XI, contradicting the earlier announcement.

The unexpected move quickly sparked reactions and criticism on social media, with fans questioning how a replacement player and the replaced player could feature in the same lineup. Addressing the situation, team General Manager Nabeel Hashmi clarified that the decision was due to one of their players falling ill, which forced the team to adjust their combination and include both players.

Despite the explanation, the incident has raised concerns over communication and clarity in team management within the league, adding to the growing scrutiny surrounding the tournament.

“Tom Curran was unwell and had to stay back in hotel. Chandimal came in for Tom in this particular match,” Hashmi wrote on X.

However, this situation also raised a bigger concern, it effectively meant that Quetta Gladiators had an extra overseas player available, which could be seen as an unfair advantage over other teams in the Pakistan Super League.

The Gladiators delivered a strong performance on the field. Ironically, Bevon, the player who was initially supposed to be replaced, ended up hitting the winning runs, guiding his side to their third victory of the tournament.

Earlier in the match, Usman Tariq starred with the ball, picking up three crucial wickets to restrict Lahore Qalandars to a modest total of 134. In response, Rilee Rossouw played a match-winning knock, scoring an unbeaten half-century to steer Quetta to victory comfortably, with 22 balls to spare.

Here’s how fans reacted on X to the squad confusion involving Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League: