Gladiators below-par batting is an insult to Richards, says Sadiq

By our correspondent
KARACHI: Former Test opener Sadiq Mohammad has strongly criticized Quetta Gladiators batting approach against Karachi Kings in their crucial PSL 10 match at the National Stadium Karachi, stating, that it’s insult to their mentor and former batting great Viv Richards.
“It’s really an insult to their mentor and former legendary batsman Sir Viv Richards. It’s really shameful performance. Richards would not have even thought about it,” Sadiq told this correspondent.
“This is not batting, it’s street cricket,” Sadiq was quick to add.
Kings conquered Gladiators by 56 runs in their third round show at the National Stadium Karachi the other night.
Kings posted 175-7 thanks to James Vince’s 47-ball 70.
In response, Gladiators were restricted to 119-9 with skipper Saud Shakeel scoring an unbeaten 40-ball 33 while Mohammad Amir made a fiery 16-ball 30 in the end.
Hasan Ali captured 3-27.
“At least you should make a strategy and plan so that you could reach near the target” he said.
“If you plan to score six runs per over for the loss of one wicket in the powerplay, 7.5 runs per over in the next seven overs at the cost of three wickets and then 8.5 runs per over in the next seven overs are chasable if you have a few batsmen and all-rounders at your disposal,” he said.
“If you don’t plan rightly you cannot chase totals and win matches. You cannot manage things in a huddle,” said the former batting great.
Sadiq reiterated that Gladiators did not play like professionals.
“It was disgusting,” Sadiq said, adding, chasing such a target should have been a piece of cake.
“The batsmen approach was not understandable. Even powerplay demands sensible batting. And there you lost five wickets for 11 runs and conceded the game,” Sadiq said.