Cricket
How Many Times Have Karachi Kings Won the PSL? Unpacking Their Championship History
Karachi Kings are one of the original PSL teams but how many times have they won the trophy? SportsBoom looks at their performance in the competition and their Pakistan Super League titles. Karachi Kings have been a part of the Pakistan Super League since the inaugural edition of the T20 competition in 2016. Despite being one of the more prominent franchises in Pakistan, KK have only managed to win the trophy a single time.
Chris Jordan/Getty Images
The team has a large fan base and is situated in a major city, but has not been able to find consistency in the PSL.
SportsBoom has looked at their title-winning season and analysed Karachi Kings’ PSL titles and pedigree in the tourney.
Karachi Kings’ Championship Victory: The 2020 Triumph
2020 was a standout year for Karachi, winning six games and losing four games, with one tie resulting in a win (Tie&W) and one no-result.
In a magical year tempered by the death of former coach, Dean Jones, fans were reminded that cricket does not always stick to the script.
Karachi Kings won five matches from 10 to end the group stage in second position, before COVID-19 saw the season placed on ice.
The league resumed after around eight months, with KK defeating first-placed Multan Sultans in a Qualifier match decided by a Super Over.
KK then faced Lahore Qalandars, who had accounted for Multan and Peshawar Zalmi in the two previous Eliminators, in the 2020 PSL final.
At the helm for Karachi was Babar Azam, who scored a massive 473 runs from 12 matches to also claim the Green Cap as the top scorer.
The bowling attack was led by Mohammad Amir with 10 wickets in the campaign, with Arshad Iqbal and Chris Jordan taking nine apiece.
PSL winners Karachi Kings also dedicated their victory to the late Coach Jones, with captain Imad Wasim also hailed for his leadership.
Karachi Kings PSL History: An Overview of KK’s Performance
Across their PSL journey from 2016 to 2024 (as per the provided data), Karachi Kings have played a total of 95 matches.
Their overall record stands at 36 wins and 55 losses, including one tie that resulted in a win and one tie that resulted in a loss, with two no-results.
Despite numerous playoff qualifications in early years (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021), the 2020 season remains their only championship success to date.
More recent seasons (2022, 2023, 2024) have seen the team finish lower in the league stage, missing out on the playoffs.
Karachi Kings’ performance since their title win has been attributed to several factors, including over-reliance on Babar Azam and coaching changes almost every season.
The team has also struggled with middle-over scoring, resulting in a persistent inability to set defensible totals and problems chasing down big opposition totals.
Karachi Kings' Year-by-Year PSL Performance Table:
SportsBoom has summarised Karachi Kings' performance in each PSL season:
| Year | Played | Won | Lost | Tie&W | Tie&L | NR | SR % | Position | Summary |
| 2016 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22.22 | 4/5 | Playoffs |
| 2017 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 | 3/5 | Playoffs |
| 2018 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 50.00 | 3/6 | Playoffs |
| 2019 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45.45 | 4/6 | Playoffs |
| 2020 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 58.33 | 1/6 | Champions |
| 2021 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45.45 | 4/6 | Playoffs |
| 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 |
| Total | 95 | 36 | 55 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 37.89 | 1 league title |
Karachi Kings PSL Champions: The Seasons After 2020
2021
In the year after being crowned PSL 2020 winners, Karachi Kings reached the playoffs as the fourth-placed team, under the coaching of South African legend Herschelle Gibbs. The defending champions were then ousted in Eliminator 1 by Peshawar Zalmi, who were beaten, in turn, by Multan Sultans in the final.
2022
The wheels truly came off for KK in the subsequent campaign, under new coach Peter Moores, winning just one group-stage match to finish at the bottom of the standings.
2023
With another former Protea, Johan Botha, at the helm, Karachi Kings once again struggled to secure victories, also feeling the impact of Babar Azam’s departure. In a slight improvement, the franchise claimed three wins in the group stage and ended fifth out of the six teams.
2024
However, things did not improve tremendously in the previous season, this time with West Indies legend Phil Simmons in the coaching chair. The one-time PSL champions won four matches this time around, ending in fifth place once again and missing out on the playoff positions for a third successive time.
Did you know? Before Multan Sultans were formed and joined the competition, Karachi Kings were the most expensive PSL franchise, with a current net worth in 2025 exceeding $2.6 million.
Karachi Kings’ PSL Performance in 2025
With the group stage of the 2025 edition having wrapped up, attention has turned to the Pakistan Super League playoffs.
Karachi Kings ended third in the current standings with six wins from their 10 matches, and will face Lahore Qalandars in Eliminator 1.
The winner of this clash will face either Islamabad United or Quetta Gladiators in the second Eliminator tie.
Conclusion
10 seasons into the Pakistan Super League, Karachi Kings have only one title win and are yet to replicate their 2020 success.
While the franchise has appeared in the playoffs multiple times, they have not experienced the glory of winning the title since.
Although the road to the PSL final is still stretching ahead, KK seem to have found their footing and could be looking at going all the way in 2025.
Karachi Kings' 2020 PSL title showcases their capability to win; however, their overall record and recent form are key considerations for bettors analysing their prospects in future seasons.
Bruce Douglas has more than 12 years of experience in local news media. He has worked at all levels of print and online publication, from crime and politics to photography, newspaper layout, proofreading, mentoring, sub-editing, and leading a newsroom. He played numerous sports at the school level and enjoys keeping up to date.