Quetta

Quetta (Urdu: کوئٹہ‎, Pashto: کوټه‎, Balochi: کویته  pronunciation ) is the provincial capital of Balochistan, Pakistan and 9th largest city of Pakistan. The city is known as the fruit garden of Pakistan, due to the numerous fruit orchards in and around it, and the large variety of fruits and dry fruits produced there. The immediate area has long been one of pastures and mountains, with varied plants and animals relative to the dry plains to the west. Quetta is at an average elevation of 1,680 meters (5,510 feet) above sea level, making it Pakistan's only high-altitude major city. The population of the city is estimated to be approximately two million.

Located in northern Balochistan near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, Quetta is a trade and communication centre between the two countries. The city lies on the Bolan Pass route which was once the only gateway from Central Asia to South Asia. Quetta played an important role militarily for the Pakistani Armed Forces in the intermittent Afghanistan conflict.

Quetta Gladiators

Quetta Gladiators (Urdu: کوئٹہ گلیڈیےٹرز‎; Pashto: د کوېټې تورزنان‎) is a Pakistani professional Twenty20 cricket team that competes in Pakistan Super League. The team is based in Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, Pakistan. Team was formed in 2015 as a result of the formation of the Pakistan Super League by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The team is currently captained by Sarfraz Ahmed and coached by former Pakistani cricketer Moin Khan. The Gladiators are owned by Omar Associates.

Franchise history

In 2015, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that first inaugural season of Pakistan Super League will happen in February 2016. On 3 December 2015, the PCB unveiled the owners of five city-based franchises, representing Quetta, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, and Islamabad. The Quetta franchise was sold to the Karachi-based company Omar Associates for US$11 Million.

Team History

2016 Pakistan Super League

Gladiators started their run with comfortable wins over Islamabad United and Karachi Kings before edging past Peshawar Zalmi in a closely fought match that went down to the last over. However, the team's campaign suffered a setback in the match against Lahore Qalandars where they were comprehensively beaten by 63 runs as the Gladiator's imploded in the highest run chase of the tournament thus far (195 runs).