Karachi Kings–Lahore Qalandars rivalry explained

Karachi Kings–Lahore Qalandars Rivalry
First Contested:5 February 2016
Karachi Kings won by 7 wickets[1]
Most Wins:Karachi Kings (13)
Most Player Appearances: Imad Wasim (16)
Mostrecent:9 March 2024
Karachi Kings won by 3 wickets[2]
Total:17
Series:KK: 11
LQ: 6
Largestvictory:By runs: KK beat LQ by 67 runs (2023)
By wickets: KK beat LQ by 10 wickets (2020)
Longeststreak:2, Karachi Kings,
5 February 2016 to 15 February 2017
Alltimerecord:Karachi Kings: 11
Lahore Qalandars: 6
Map Location:Pakistan
Map Mark1:Blue pog.svg
Coordinates1:24.86°N 67.01°W
Map Label1 Position:left
Map Mark2:Green pog.svg
Coordinates2:31.5497°N 74.3436°W
Map Label2 Position:right

The Karachi Kings–Lahore Qalandars rivalry, is a cricket rivalry between two teams in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), an old city rivalry between the cricket teams of Karachi and Lahore that continued in PSL as well.[3] [4] [5] It is considered to be the biggest rivalry in the PSL due to the size of the cities. The rivalry has been fuelled by the size of the two cities that they play for and their historic economic and cultural rivalry.[6] [7] [8] A Karachi–Lahore clash is known typically as a heated contest which "brings out the best in players". The two cities share a rivalry in domestic cricket that dates back to the 1950s and 1960s, with the PSL providing a high-voltage platform that allows it to thrive.[9] It is sometimes also known as the El-Clasico of PSL.

Both teams have played on 14 occasions against each other, with Karachi Kings winning 8 of them.[10] In 2016 season, Kings won both games against Qalandars.[1] [11] While in 2nd season both teams won against each other. [12] [13] Karachi won the first game of the 2018 season, [14] while the second match was a close contest which ended in a tie, in the end Lahore winning in the super over due to excellent super over bowled by Qalandars' Sunil Narine.[15] In the 2019 season, both teams won one game each while in the 2020 season, both teams won one game apiece before facing off in the final which Karachi won by 5 wickets.[16] [17] [18] [19] [20] In 2021, Lahore won the first game in Karachi by 6 wickets while the second game was won by Karachi in Abu Dhabi by 7 runs. In 2022, Lahore won the first game in Karachi by 6 wickets while Karachi won the second game by 22 runs. In the 2023 edition, Karachi once again won both games against Lahore Qalandars by 67 and 86 runs respectively.[21] [22]

List of PSL titles

TeamTitle(s)Seasons WonNo. of seasons played
Karachi Kings120208
Lahore Qalandars22022, 20238

Results summary

In KarachiIn LahoreAt Neutral Venues Total
Matches 5 3 9 17
KK Won 3 2 6 11
LQ Won 2 1 3 6

Head-to-head ranking in PSL(2016–2023)

16 17 18 19 20 21 2223
11 1 1
22
33 3
444 4
55555
666 6

Players part of both franchises

PlayerKarachi KingsLahore Qalandars
Cameron Delport20202016–2018
Chris Gayle20172016
Mohammad Rizwan2018–20202016–2017
Bilawal Bhatti20162017
Sohail Khan2016–2017; 20192018
Sohail Tanvir20162017
Aamer Yamin2018–20212016–2017
Mitchell McClenaghan20202018–2019
Usman Shinwari2017–2019; 20222020
Mohammad Irfan20182017
David Wiese20182019–
Jaahid Ali20192020
Ben Dunk20192020-2022
Joe Denly20182021
Tom Abell20222021

In popular culture

The rivalry was referenced in episode one ("Stewie's First Word") of season 19 of the American animated sitcom Family Guy.[23] At the start of the episode, Peter, Cleveland, Quagmire and Joe are sitting at the bar, where Quagmire complains about the influx of foreign sports fans on Saturday mornings, "like those Pakistani cricket hooligans".[24] Two Pakistani supporters wearing Lahore jerseys retort: "If you're not rooting for Lahore, please you may leave I can tell you" and "Lahore cricketers are the best and the others are not the best, dear friends". Joe, who is apparently supporting Karachi, quickly covers his jersey as he doesn't "have a death wish about it [his preferred team]".[25] [26]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Scorecard of first game . ESPN Cricinfo.
  2. Web site: Scorecard of latest game b/w KK and LQ. ESPN Cricinfo.
  3. Web site: Reverse swing; Lahore vs Karachi. 31 October 2010. DAWN.COM.
  4. News: Kings, Qalandars’ fierce rivalry adds spice to PSL . Dawn . 17 Feb 2020.
  5. Web site: Karachi, Lahore renew rivalry in PSL . Express Tribune.
  6. Web site: Kings vs Qalandars, a rivalry with millions of followers . PCB.
  7. Web site: Gaddafi awaits the clash of Lahore-Karachi rivalry . Cricwick.
  8. Web site: Karachi v Lahore: The iconic rivalry of Pakistan Super League . Cricingif . 23 July 2020 . 6 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211206232140/https://www.cricingif.com/stories/56663/Karachi-v-Lahore-The-iconic-rivalry-of-Pakistan-Super-League- . dead .
  9. News: Karachi-Lahore rivalry brings out the best in players, says Fakhar. Khaleej Times. 9 September 2020. 24 February 2019. Liaqat. Ali.
  10. Web site: Karachi Kings Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com. Cricinfo.
  11. Web site: Full Scorecard of Kings vs Qalandars 12th Match 2016 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com. ESPNcricinfo.
  12. Web site: 2017 PSL (8th match) – Game 1 KK vs LQ – Result . ESPN Cricinfo.
  13. Web site: 2017 PSL (18th match) – Game 2 KK vs LQ – Result . ESPN Cricinfo.
  14. Web site: 2018 PSL (8th match) – Game 1 KK vs LQ – Result . ESPN Cricinfo.
  15. Web site: 2018 PSL (24th match) – Game 2 KK vs LQ – Result – Super over game . ESPN Cricinfo.
  16. Web site: 2019 PSL (5th match) – Game 1 KK vs LQ – Result . ESPN Cricinfo.
  17. Web site: 2019 PSL (20th match) – Game 2 KK vs LQ – Result . ESPN Cricinfo.
  18. Web site: 2020 PSL (23rd match) – Game 1 KK vs LQ – Result . ESPN Cricinfo.
  19. Web site: Latest game scorecard . ESPN Cricinfo.
  20. Web site: Latest game scorecard . ESPN Cricinfo.
  21. Web site: Fakhar Zaman smashes 106 in 171 chase to knock over Karachi Kings. 2022-02-03. ESPNcricinfo. en.
  22. Web site: PSL 7: Fakhar Zaman's ton leads Lahore Qalandars to victory against Karachi Kings. 2022-02-03. www.geo.tv. en-US.
  23. News: 'Family Guy' new season opens up with a PSL joke. The Express Tribune. 28 September 2020. 29 September 2020.
  24. Web site: Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars' PSL rivalry makes it to Family Guy. Geo Super. 28 September 2020. 30 September 2020.
  25. News: Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars' fans have made it to Family Guy. Dawn. 29 September 2020. 30 September 2020.
  26. News: Family Guy season 19 premiere features joke about PSL teams Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars. Geo News. 28 September 2020. 30 September 2020.