2018–19 Pakistan Premier League Explained

Competition:Pakistan Premier League
Season:2018–19
Dates:25 September 2018 – 13 January 2019
Winners:Khan Research Laboratories
5th Premier League
5th Pakistani title
Relegated:Karachi Port Trust
Baloch Nushki
Ashraf Sugar Mills
Pakistan Airlines
League Topscorer:Ansar Abbas (15 goals)
Best Goalkeeper:Tanvir Mumtaz (Khan Research Laboratories)
Matches:182
Total Goals:398
Biggest Home Win:Pakistan Navy 6–1 Baloch Nushki
(7 December 2018)
National Bank 5–0 Baloch Nushki
(19 December 2018)
Pakistan Airforce 5–0 Baloch Nushki
(9 January 2019)
Biggest Away Win:Baloch Nushki 0–5 Pakistan Army
(17 November 2018)
Karachi Port Trust 0–5 Pakistan Army
(17 December 2018)
Afghan Chaman 0–5 Khan Research Laboratories
(23 December 2018)
Highest Scoring:Pakistan Navy 6–1 Baloch Nushki
(7 December 2018)
Karachi Port Trust 2–5 Civil Aviation Authority
(30 December 2018)[1]
Sui Northern Gas 4–3 Afghan Chaman
(8 January 2019)
Highest Attendance:15,000
Khan Research Laboratories 4–0 Sui Southern Gas
(13 January 2019)[2]
Longest Wins:5 matches
Khan Research Laboratories
Pakistan Airforce
Sui Southern Gas[3]
Longest Unbeaten:13 matches
Khan Research Laboratories
Longest Winless:26 matches
Baloch Nushki
Longest Losses:8 matches
Baloch Nushki
Prevseason:2014–15
Nextseason:2021–22

The 2018–19 Pakistan Premier League was the 61st season of Pakistan domestic football and the 12th season of the Pakistan Premier League, and the first season to be played since 2014–15.

The league was ultimately organised by two different federations. Faisal Saleh Hayat-led Pakistan Football Federation, which was internationally recognised, started the league and non-FIFA recognised Ashfaq Hussain Shah group, which formed a parallel PFF in the elections conducted under court orders completed the league after taking charge.[4] [5] [6]

Format

The season was held in Multan, Karachi and Lahore between 25 September and 11 January 2019, with 16 teams participating (12 PPL teams and 4 winner teams of second-tier playoffs).[7] Each team would get to play each other twice, meaning in a season they would play 30 games. The bottom four teams got relegated to the second tier. The team that finished first would get qualification in the AFC Cup, but AFC denied entry of Pakistani football clubs in 2019 AFC Cup because of incomplete licensing regulations due to absence of footballing activity since the end of 2014-15 season.[8]

Teams

Promotion and relegation

Teams relegated to FFL

Baloch Quetta and Pakistan Railways were relegated at the end of 2014–15 season (no league was held until current season).[9]

Teams promoted from FFL

Pakistan Navy got promoted after winning 2014–15 Pakistan Football Federation League, defeating Baloch Nushki 1–0 in the finals.[10]

Teams promoted from PPL Promotion Play-Offs 2018

Civil Aviation Authority, Sui Southern Gas Company, Ashraf Sugar Mills and Sui Northern Gas Company won their matches and promoted to Pakistan Premier League.

Stadium and locations

Team Location Stadium Capacity
Jamal Nasir Stadiium
Ashraf Sugar MillsBahawalpur
Nushki Stadium
Korangi Baloch Stadium
Karachi Port Trust Stadium
Sadiq Shaheed Stadium
Karachi Port Trust Stadium
PNS Karsaz Stadium
Korangi Baloch Stadium
Benazir Sports Complex
Sui Northern Gas

Season summary

Ashraf Sugar Mills and Pakistan Airlines withdrew from league with former withdrawing after playing first phase in Multan and latter not playing a single match due to financial issues. Baloch Nushki got relegated after failing to win a single match and ended third last in relegation zone with six points from 6 draws. On 9 January 2019, Karachi Port Trust got relegated to Federation League for the first time ever, after they lost 2–0 to Muslim and 12th placed Sui Northern Gas winning their game match 4–3 against Afghan Chaman, leaving Karachi Port Trust 5 points from safe zone with only one match to play.[11]

Khan Research Laboratories won the league on the final match day. Pakistan Airforce were sitting at the top of table with 51 points, one point ahead of Sui Southern Gas and three ahead of Khan Research Laboratories, who both had to face each other on final match day. Sui Southern Gas victory would hand them the title and for Khan Research Laboratories, they to beat the Sui Southern Gas by four goals to secure the title. Khan Research Laboratories the last game of the season, defeating title contenders Sui Southern Gas 4–0, finishing first on goal difference ahead of Pakistan Airforce. This is the smallest title winning margin in the history of Pakistan Premier League, with Khan Research Laboratories winning with a goal difference of just +1, as Pakistan Airforce had a goal difference on +27 and winners Khan Research Laboratories had +28.[12]

League table

Season statistics

Scoring

Top scorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Ansar AbbasPakistan Army15
2 Muhammad MujahidPakistan Airforce13
Muhammad NaeemCivil Aviation Authority
3 Muhammad RasoolK-Electric12
Mansoor KhanPakistan Airforce
4 Iftikhar Ali KhanKhan Research Laboratories11
5 Ahmed FaheemWAPDA10

Hat-tricks

Player For Against Result Date Ref
Iftikhar Ali Khan Khan Research Laboratories National Bank 3–0 (H) [14]
Pakistan Airforce Pakistan Navy 4–2 (H) [15]
Ansar Abbas4 Pakistan Army Baloch Nushki 5–0 (A) [16]
Hassan Faiz Pakistan Navy Baloch Nushki 6–1 (H)
Muhammad Waheed 4Civil Aviation Authority Karachi Port Trust 5–2 (A)[17]
4 Player scored four goals

Notes and References

  1. Web site: KARACHI PORT TRUST VS. PCAA 2 - 5. Soccerway. 30 December 2018.
  2. Web site: KRL FC 4:0 Sui Southern Gas Company . Global Sports Archive . 19 February 2019.
  3. Web site: PREMIER LEAGUE. Soccerway. 30 December 2018.
  4. Web site: Wasim . Umaid . 2019-01-14 . Contentious PPFL season ends with controversially-promoted team denied title . 2024-05-30 . DAWN.COM . en.
  5. Web site: 2019-01-23 . The balance sheet TNS - The News on Sunday . 2024-05-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190123181411/http://tns.thenews.com.pk/balance-sheet/#.XEivBS3P32c . 2019-01-23 .
  6. Web site: The need for domestic football league Sports thenews.com.pk . 2024-05-30 . www.thenews.com.pk . en.
  7. Web site: 30 July 2018 . Karachi, Lahore to host PPFL . The News.
  8. Web site: Ensuring entry in AFC Cup: Pak clubs bound to follow licensing regulations . 2024-05-30 . www.thenews.com.pk . en.
  9. Web site: Premier League . US Soccerway . USSoccerway.com . August 28, 2018.
  10. Web site: 2nd Division . US Soccerway . USSoccerway.com . August 28, 2018.
  11. Web site: KPT relegated to second-tier as SNGPL survive . 2024-05-30 . www.thenews.com.pk . en.
  12. Web site: Premier League. Flash Scores. 13 January 2019. 13 January 2019.
  13. Web site: 2018-09-27 . Opening matches of PPFL ended in draw . 2024-05-30 . The Nation . en-US.
  14. Web site: KRL outplay NBP in PPFL . 2024-05-30 . www.thenews.com.pk . en.
  15. Web site: Easy sailing for PAF in PPFL . 2024-05-30 . www.thenews.com.pk . en.
  16. Web site: KRL sink Navy to soar to top spot . 2024-05-30 . www.thenews.com.pk . en.
  17. Web site: Waheed runs riot as PCAA thrash KPT . 2024-05-30 . www.thenews.com.pk . en.