The Islamabad United captain was satisfied with squad as they set to kick off PSL 11
\nLAHORE
\nThe Pakistan Super League is entering a \u201cnew era\u201d with expanded teams and the introduction of a players\u2019 auction, according to Shadab Khan, captain of Islamabad United.
\nSpeaking in an exclusive interview, Shadab said the addition of two new teams and a change in franchise ownership had significantly raised the competition level ahead of PSL 11.
\n\u201cThe PSL has grown over the last 10 years and it will continue to improve in this new phase,\u201d he said. \u201cWith eight teams now, there will be more combinations and greater competition.\u201d
\nShadab highlighted the introduction of a players\u2019 auction as the biggest change this season, calling it a defining moment for the league.
\n\u201cAs a player, you should know your value,\u201d he said. \u201cI also received offers from other franchises, but I have always said I will not leave Islamabad United unless they release me.\u201d
\nThe all-rounder believes the new system will reshape team-building strategies while giving players greater clarity about their worth in franchise cricket.
\nAssessing Islamabad United\u2019s chances, Shadab said the squad has a balanced mix of youth and experience, with a particular emphasis on fast bowling depth.
\n\u201cWe have relied more on fast bowlers so players can recover when needed. Our combination looks strong,\u201d he said.
\nHe added that his leadership style centres on empowering players.
\n\u201cI try to give players freedom so they feel ownership of the team. When players feel the team is theirs, it becomes easier for the captain.\u201d
\nShadab admitted he was not satisfied with his recent performances on the international stage.
\n\u201cIf I had performed better against England and Sri Lanka in the World Cup, the team\u2019s position might have been different,\u201d he said, adding that he is determined to improve when given another opportunity.
\nIslamabad United will be coached by former New Zealand international Luke Ronchi, replacing Mike Hesson, who is no longer involved due to international commitments.
\n\u201cWe had great success with Hesson, but Ronchi has been part of the team before, so there is good chemistry,\u201d Shadab said.
\nThe squad also includes international names such as Devon Conway and Mark Chapman, alongside emerging and domestic players like Max Bryant, Samir Minhas, Mohammad Faizan, Haider Ali and Mehran Mumtaz.
\nLooking ahead, Shadab said Islamabad United are targeting redemption after last season\u2019s qualifier defeat to Lahore Qalandars.
\n\u201cWe want to take revenge for that loss,\u201d he said. \u201cOur record in Lahore hasn\u2019t been great, so we will look to pick players who have performed well there.\u201d He also welcomed the inclusion of a Rawalpindi-based team, predicting a fresh and exciting rivalry. Shadab credited the National T20 Cup for helping players prepare for PSL 11.
\n\u201cIt provided valuable match practice and high-level competition. Such tournaments help players improve and build confidence before a major event like the PSL,\u201d he said.
\nShadab said that the National T20 Cup provided a great opportunity for PSL preparations. Players got valuable match practice, and the competition level was high. Such tournaments help players improve areas where they need growth. Playing these events before a tough competition like the PSL boosts confidence and benefits players overall.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Islamabad United captain was satisfied with squad as they set to kick off PSL 11 LAHORE The Pakistan Super League is entering a \u201cnew era\u201d with expanded teams and the introduction of a players\u2019 auction, according to Shadab Khan, captain of Islamabad United. Speaking in an exclusive interview, Shadab said the addition of two …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":95409,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-95402","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95402","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=95402"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95402\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":95435,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95402\/revisions\/95435"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/95409"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=95402"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=95402"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=95402"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}