Shane Watson, the head coach of the Quetta Gladiators for the ninth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL 2024), has made headlines as he becomes the most expensive coach in the league’s history. Despite the Purple Force’s loss to Islamabad United in Eliminator 2, Watson’s leadership throughout the tournament has been commendable.
The Gladiators started their PSL 2024 campaign strongly with three consecutive victories. However, their performance waned in the latter half of the season, securing only one win in their last five matches. Nevertheless, Watson’s influence and contributions to the team have garnered widespread acclaim.
Having failed to qualify for the playoffs in the four subsequent seasons after winning PSL 2019, the Gladiators underwent a transformation under new coaching and captaincy. They managed to secure 11 points from five wins, securing a spot in the PSL 2024 playoffs as the last team.
Who was the most expensive coach in PSL before Watson?
Watson’s impact on the Gladiators’ journey has been monumental, especially considering his brief stint of just 28 days with the team. Despite this short period, he earned a staggering sum of $150,000, roughly equivalent to 15 lac PKR per day. His total earnings for PSL 2024 amount to approximately PKR 4 crore and 20 lac, surpassing the previous highest-earning mentor, Vivian Richards.
Richards, the former West Indies cricketer, used to receive over $100,000 for coaching the Gladiators, which was later reduced to $75,000 post-COVID. Watson’s hefty paycheck now sets a new benchmark in PSL coaching history.
Notably, Watson was offered a lucrative $2 million annual salary to coach the Pakistan cricket team in limited-overs cricket. However, he declined the offer due to his commitments as a commentator in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL 2024). Despite missing out on this opportunity, Watson has cemented his place in PSL history as the highest-paid coach for a limited duration, breaking records along the way.
