Karachi Kings facts for kids
| کراچی کنگز | ||
 |
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| League | Pakistan Super League | |
|---|---|---|
| Personnel | ||
| Captain | David Warner | |
| Coach | Ravi Bopara | |
| Bowling coach | Shaun Tait fielding_coach= | |
| Owner | Salman Iqbal ARY Digital Network |
|
| Team information | ||
| City | Karachi, Pakistan | |
| Founded | 2015 | |
| Home ground | National Stadium, Karachi | |
| Capacity | 30,000 | |
| History | ||
| PSL wins | 1 (2020) | |
| Official website | karachikings.com.pk | |
|
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The Karachi Kings are a professional Twenty20 cricket team from Pakistan. They play in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The team is based in Karachi, a big city in Sindh. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) created the team in 2015. Their home ground is the National Stadium.
The team's coach is Ravi Bopara. David Warner is the team captain. The Karachi Kings won their first PSL title in 2020. They beat their rivals, the Lahore Qalandars, in the final match.
Babar Azam has scored the most runs for the team. Mohammad Amir has taken the most wickets.
Contents
Team History: How the Kings Started
On December 3, 2015, the PCB announced the first five team owners. The ARY Media Group bought the Karachi team. They paid US$26 million for ten years. This made it the most expensive team in the PSL at that time.
However, in 2017, a new team called Multan Sultans joined. They became the most expensive team. They were sold for US$41.6 million for an eight-year deal.
2016 Season: First Steps in PSL
The Kings started their first season with a win. They beat the Lahore Qalandars easily. Mohammad Amir even got a hat-trick in that game.
During the group stage, the Kings won only one more match. They finished with two wins and six losses. Still, they ended up fourth in the league table. This was enough to qualify for the play-off stage.
Ravi Bopara became the team captain. He took over from Shoaib Malik. In the play-off match, Karachi scored only 111 runs. They lost to Islamabad United and were out of the tournament.
2017 Season: New Players and Big Wins
Many new players joined the Kings for the 2017 season. These included Kumar Sangakkara and Babar Azam. Azhar Mehmood became a coach. Chris Gayle also joined the team.
Karachi Kings lost their first three games. They lost to Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, and Lahore Qalandars. But then, they finally won against Islamabad United. This win was decided by the Duckworth-Lewis method due to rain.
They continued their winning streak against Peshawar Zalmi. They defended a target of 175 runs. The Kings' bowlers helped them win by 9 runs.
Later, in a crucial match against Lahore Qalandars, Kieron Pollard hit two sixes. This happened on the last two balls. It helped the Kings win and stay in the tournament.
Karachi then faced Islamabad United again in the eliminator match. Karachi scored 126 runs. Their bowlers, like Mohammad Amir, Imad Wasim, and Usama Mir, were amazing. They took three wickets each. Islamabad United scored only 82 runs. This meant Karachi won and moved to the next play-off.
2018 Season: Shahid Afridi Joins
On April 7, 2017, Shahid Afridi joined the team. He became both a player and the president. He had previously played for Peshawar Zalmi.
The Kings started the 2018 season well. They beat Quetta Gladiators by 19 runs. They also beat the defending champions, Peshawar Zalmi. Their winning streak continued against their rivals, Lahore Qalandars. Shahid Afridi took three quick wickets in that game.
However, the Kings' game against Multan Sultans was canceled due to rain. Their unbeaten run ended when they lost to Islamabad United. The Kings were later eliminated in the second eliminator match. This match was played against Peshawar Zalmi in Lahore.
2019 Season: Wasim Akram Becomes President
Before the 2019 season, Wasim Akram joined the Karachi Kings. He became the franchise president.
2020 Season: Champions for the First Time
In the 2020 PSL season, the Karachi Kings made it to the finals. This was their first time reaching the final match. They beat the Multan Sultans in a qualifier match. That game even went into a Super Over.
The Kings then won the PSL V title. Imad Wasim was their captain. They defeated the Lahore Qalandars by five wickets in the final. This was their first-ever PSL championship.
Recent Seasons: 2021 to 2024
The 2021 season started well for the Kings. They won their first match against Quetta Gladiators.
However, the 2022 season was very tough. The Karachi Kings lost nine out of ten matches. They finished last in the points table.
In the 2023 and 2024 seasons, the team continued to face challenges. They finished fifth in both years.
Team Identity: Colors, Logo, and Songs
The team's name and logo were shown on December 21, 2015. The logo shows a lion. The words "Karachi Kings" are written below it in white and gold. The team owner, Salman Iqbal, said the logo shows Karachi's strong spirit.
The team's main jersey colors are blue and gold. The roaring lion logo is also on the shirt. AJ Sports makes the team's kits.
Many companies have sponsored the Karachi Kings. Bahria Town was a main sponsor for the first three seasons. Other sponsors included Summit Bank, Pepsi, and Brighto Paints.
Team Anthems
The Karachi Kings have had several team songs. For their first season, Ali Azmat sang "Dilon Ke Badshah". In 2017 and 2018, Shehzad Roy sang "Dhan Dhana Dhan Hoga Re" and "De Dhana Dhan".
Since 2020, Asim Azhar has sung the team's anthems. The song "Yeh Hai Karachi" became the main title. In 2022, Talha Yunus joined him. In 2023, Ali Azmat and Raamis Ali also sang with Asim Azhar.
Team Ambassadors
Famous Pakistani film stars Fahad Mustafa and Humayun Saeed are team ambassadors. Singer Shehzad Roy is also an ambassador for the team.
Rivalry: Kings vs. Qalandars
The Karachi Kings have a big rivalry with the Lahore Qalandars. This is one of the biggest rivalries in the PSL. It's because Karachi and Lahore are two of Pakistan's largest cities. They have a long history of competition.
As of the 2022 season, the teams have played 14 times. The Kings have won 8 of those matches. Both teams have many fans. This makes their games very exciting to watch. They are also known as the most expensive teams in the PSL.
Current Squad: Who Plays for the Kings
|
| No. | Name | Nationality | Birth date | Category | Batting style | Bowling style | Year signed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batters | ||||||||
| 14 | James Vince |  England |
14 March 1991 | Diamond | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | 2025 | Vice-captain |
| 13 | Saad Baig |  Pakistan |
1 November 2006 | Emerging | Right-handed | Right-arm off-break | 2025 | |
| 31 | David Warner |  Australia |
27 October 1986 | Platinum | Left-handed | Right-arm leg-break | 2025 | Captain |
| 55 | Riazullah | Pakistan |
20 July 2007 | Emerging | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast | 2025 | |
| 75 | Irfan Khan Niazi | Pakistan |
15 December 2002 | Gold | Right-handed | Right-arm off-break | 2025 | |
| 94 | Shan Masood | Pakistan |
14 October 1989 | Platinum | Left-handed | Right-arm medium | 2025 | |
| 100 | Omair Yousuf | Pakistan |
27 December 1998 | Supplementary | Right-handed | — | 2025 | |
| All-rounders | ||||||||
| 7 | Mohammad Nabi |  Afghanistan |
1 March 1985 | Supplementary | Right-handed | Right-arm off-break | 2025 | |
| 23 | Arafat Minhas | Pakistan |
2 January 2005 | Silver | Left-handed | Left-arm orthodox | 2024 | |
| 65 | Aamir Jamal | Pakistan |
5 August 1996 | Silver | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast | 2025 | |
| 72 | Khushdil Shah | Pakistan |
7 February 1995 | Gold | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox | 2025 | |
| Wicket-keepers | ||||||||
| 28 | Ben McDermott | Australia |
12 December 1990 | Diamond | Right-handed | — | 2025 | |
| 63 | Tim Seifert |  New Zealand |
14 December 1994 | Silver | Right-handed | — | 2025 | |
| Bowlers | ||||||||
| 32 | Hasan Ali | Pakistan |
7 February 1994 | Diamond | Right-handed | Right-arm fast | 2025 | |
| 55 | Abbas Afridi | Pakistan |
5 April 2001 | Platinum | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast | 2025 | |
| 11 | Shahnawaz Dahani | Pakistan |
August 5, 1998 | Diamond | Right-handed | Right-arm off-break | 2025 | |
| 85 | Zahid Mahmood | Pakistan |
20 March 1988 | Gold | Right-handed | Right-arm leg-break | 2025 | |
| 92 | Mir Hamza | Pakistan |
10 September 1992 | Silver | Left-handed | Left-arm fast-medium | 2025 | |
| 93 | Mirza Mamoon | Pakistan |
19 May 2000 | Supplementary | Right-handed | Left-arm-wrist-spin | 2025 | |
- Source: ESPNcricinfo
Team Management and Coaches
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Ravi Bopara |
| Assistant coach/fast bowling coach | Shaun Tait |
- Source: Official website: https://karachikings.com.pk/our-team/
Team Captains Through the Years
| Name | From | To | Mat | Won | Lost | Tie&W | Tie&L | NR | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoaib Malik | 2016 | 2016 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25.00 |
| Ravi Bopara | 2016 | 2016 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Kumar Sangakkara | 2017 | 2017 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Imad Wasim | 2018 | 2023 | 51 | 23 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 48.97 |
| Eoin Morgan | 2018 | 2018 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Mohammad Amir | 2018 | 2018 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Babar Azam | 2020 | 2022 | 11 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.09 |
| Shan Masood | 2024 | 2025 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40.00 |
- Source: ESPNcricinfo
Team Performance in PSL Seasons
Overall Results in the PSL
| Year | Pld | Won | Loss | Tie&W | Tie&L | NR | SR (%) | Position | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22.22 | 4/5 | Play-offs |
| 2017 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 | 3/5 | Play-offs |
| 2018 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 50.00 | 3/6 | Play-offs |
| 2019 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45.45 | 4/6 | Play-offs |
| 2020 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 58.33 | 1/6 | Champions |
| 2021 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45.45 | 4/6 | Play-offs |
| 2022 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.00 | 6/6 | League-stage |
| 2023 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30.00 | 5/6 | League-stage |
| 2024 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40.00 | 5/6 | League-stage |
| Total | 95 | 36 | 55 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 37.89 | 1 title |
- Tie+W means a match was tied and then won in a tiebreaker (like a "Super Over").
- Tie+L means a match was tied and then lost in a tiebreaker.
- The success rate does not count matches with no result. Tied matches count as half a win.
Source: ESPNcricinfo, Last updated: 12 March 2024
Head-to-Head Records Against Other Teams
| Opposition Team | Years Played | Matches | Won | Lost | Tied & Won | Tied & Lost | No Result | Success Rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Islamabad United | 2016–present | 22 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27.27 |
| Lahore Qalandars | 2016–present | 19 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 68.42 |
| Multan Sultans | 2018–present | 15 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 50.00 |
| Peshawar Zalmi | 2016–present | 21 | 6 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28.57 |
| Quetta Gladiators | 2016–present | 18 | 6 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
Source: ESPNcricinfo, Last updated: 11 March 2024
Team Statistics: Top Players
Babar Azam has scored the most runs for the Kings with 2,398 runs. Mohammad Amir has taken the most wickets with 63.
Players with Most Runs
| Player | Years | Innings | Runs | High score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babar Azam | 2017–2022 | 64 | 2,398 | 90* |
| Imad Wasim | 2016–2023 | 63 | 1,086 | 92* |
| Sharjeel Khan | 2020–2023 | 36 | 827 | 105 |
| Shoaib Malik | 2016–2017; 2023–2024 | 38 | 813 | 71* |
| Colin Ingram | 2018–2021 | 26 | 613 | 127* |
- Source: ESPNcricinfo
Players with Most Wickets
| Player | Years | Innings | Wickets | Best bowling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammad Amir | 2016–2023 | 65 | 63 | 4/25 |
| Imad Wasim | 2016–2023 | 74 | 51 | 3/16 |
| Usman Shinwari | 2017–2019; 2022 | 29 | 37 | 4/15 |
| Sohail Khan | 2016–2017; 2019 | 19 | 22 | 3/23 |
| Umer Khan | 2019–2020 | 15 | 19 | 3/22 |
- Source: ESPNcricinfo
See also
- Karachi Kings–Lahore Qalandars rivalry
- List of Pakistan Super League anthems
- Karachi Dolphins
- Karachi Zebras
- Larkana Bulls
