Quetta Gladiators head coach Shane Watson has lavished praise on all-rounder Mohammad Wasim Jr for his hand-eye coordination and power after he hit six on the final ball against Lahore Qalandars' captain Shaheen Afridi to take his side into the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season nine playoffs.
The former Australian player shed light on Wasim's all-round game and how he can turn the youngster similar to West Indies' Andre Russell, who is known for power-hitting and is also a pacer.
"We've been talking to Mohammad Wasim jr since the first game about being as still as possible. He's got amazing hand-eye coordination and power, so he just needs to stand still and trust that he can smash it," Watson said after the game.
"We've been talking to him about turning himself into the Pakistani Andre Russell with the skill and power he's got with the bat.
"We already know what he's got with the ball, and he's got amazing athleticism which we've seen in the field," he added.
With Quetta winning, Karachi Kings are now out of the race of reaching the final four. Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi, Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators have qualified.
This is the first time since 2019 that Quetta have qualified for the final four.
Earlier, Islamabad made it into the playoffs with a win over Multan Sultans at the Pindi Cricket Stadium. The breathtaking encounter went to the last ball where Islamabad's Imad Wasim guided his side to a crucial win.
Meanwhile, the remaining two matches of the tournament are dead rubber. Kings will play Zalmi on Monday while Sultans play Gladiators on Tuesday.
Schedule of remaining PSL 9 matches
March 11, 2024, Karachi Kings v Peshawar Zalmi, National Bank Stadium
March 12, 2024, Quetta Gladiators v Multan Sultans, National Bank Stadium
March 14, 2024, Qualifier (1 v 2), National Bank Stadium
March 15, 2024, Eliminator 1 (3 v 4), National Bank Stadium
March 16, 2024, Eliminator 2 (Eliminator Winner v Qualifier Runner-up), National Bank Stadium
March 18, 2024, Final, National Bank Stadium