Cricket
Most Successful Team in PSL
Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars are the two best teams in PSL. They have won PSL twice each and tie for the most successful team in PSL
The Pakistan Super League (PSL) is among the most popular T20 cricket leagues in the world. Established in 2016, the PSL is one of the most anticipated sports events in Pakistan. The league features franchises representing different cities - the six participating teams include Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, and Islamabad United.
The PSL not only serves as a premier cricket competition but also acts as a talent pool for emerging players, offering them a chance to shine on a global stage. International cricket players, including both current and retired players, participate in the league, attracting large viewership.
Here is a list of PSL winning teams since it started in 2016.
PSL Cup Winners List
| Year | Winner | Won by | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Islamabad United | 6 wickets | Quetta Gladiators |
| 2017 | Peshawar Zalmi | 58 runs | Quetta Gladiators |
| 2018 | Islamabad United | 3 wickets | Peshawar Zalmi |
| 2019 | Quetta Gladiators | 8 wickets | Peshawar Zalmi |
| 2020 | Karachi Kings | 5 wickets | Lahore Qalandars |
| 2021 | Multan Sultans | 47 runs | Peshawar Zalmi |
| 2022 | Lahore Qalandars | 42 runs | Multan Sultans |
| 2023 | Lahore Qalandars | 1 run | Multan Sultans |
Most successful team in the PSL
Winning the first-ever Pakistan Super League in 2017, Islamabad United became the first champions by beating Quetta Gladiators in the final. They, along with Lahore Qalandars, are the only teams to win the PSL title more than once, making them the most successful teams in the league.
Islamabad United's performance
in the PSL each season
| Year | Captain | Matches | Won | Lost | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Misbah ul Haq | 8 | 4 | 4 | Champions |
| 2017 | Misbah ul Haq | 8 | 4 | 4 | Fourth |
| 2018 | Misbah ul Haq | 10 | 7 | 3 | Champions |
| 2019 | Mohammad Sami / Shadab Khan | 10 | 5 | 5 | Third |
| 2020 | Shadab Khan | 10 | 3 | 6 | Sixth |
| 2021 | Shadab Khan | 10 | 8 | 2 | First |
| 2022 | Shadab Khan | 10 | 4 | 6 | Fourth |
| 2023 | Shadab Khan | 10 | 6 | 4 | Third |
PSL 2016
Islamabad United had a remarkable inaugural season, winning the championship by defeating Quetta Gladiators in the final thus becoming the PSL 1 Winner. A half-century each by Dwayne Smith and Brad Haddin helped the Misbah ul Haq-led chase down 175 in 18.4 overs. Sharjeel Khan was the top run-scorer for United that season. He scored 299 runs in 11 games at an average and strike rate of 29.90 and 148.75 respectively. The team's highest wicket-taker was Andre Russell, with 16 wickets.
PSL 2017
In the second season, Islamabad United couldn't replicate their initial success and finished second-last on the points table. They won four matches and lost as many under the leadership of Haq. Unfortunately, the team was also involved in a controversy that season. Sharjeel Khan, Mohammed Irfan and Khalid Latif of Islamabad United were among the six cricketers suspended by the PCB for their alleged involvement in spot-fixing. Eventually, Irfan was banned from all forms of cricket for a year, while Sharjeel and Khalid served a five-year ban each.
PSL 2018
The Misbah ul Haq-led team Islamabad United bounced back strongly and became the PSL 3 Winner by defeating Peshawar Zalmi in the final. A first-wicket partnership of 96 runs between Luke Ronchi and Sahibzada Farhan helped the United chase down 149 with three wickets remaining and 19 balls to spare. With 435 runs, Ronchi was the highest run-scorer in the tournament that year. Meanwhile, Faheem Ashraf of United tied with Wahab Riaz of Peshawar Zalmi for the leading wicket-taker of the tournament award. Both bowlers took 18 wickets each.
PSL 2019
Islamabad United finished third on the points table with five wins and as many losses. They made it to the Eliminator 2 with a four-wicket win over Karachi Kings but lost the all-important match to Peshawar Zalmi by a big margin. Chasing 215 to win, they managed just 166, losing the game by 48 runs. Chadwick Walton top-scored for United with a knock of 48 runs, while none of the other batters made a significant contribution.
PSL 2020
Islamabad United finished right at the bottom of the points table in 2021. This was the first time in four seasons that they were eliminated from the group stage. They managed just three wins in 10 matches under the captaincy of Shadab Khan, who was also their top wicket-taker that season with eight wickets.
PSL 2021
Islamabad United had a competitive season, finishing third in the points table but losing in the playoffs. They lost the Qualifier 1 to Multan Sultans and the Eliminator 2 to Peshawar Zalmi. Colin Munro and Hasan Ali were the team's top run-scorers and top wicket-takers, respectively.
PSL 2022
United were once again eliminated in the playoffs stage in 2022. They defeated Peshawar Zalmi by five wickets in Eliminator 1, before narrowly losing Eliminator 2 to Lahore Qalandars. Captain Shadab Khan was one of the top wicket-takers of PSL 2022, with 19 wickets. The top run-scorer that season was Alex Hales (355).
PSL 2023
In the most recent edition of the tournament, United finished in third place in the points table. Under the captaincy of Shadab Khan, they lost the Eliminator 1 to Peshawar Zalmi and were disqualified from the tournament. Colin Munro (298) and Hasan Ali (13) scored the most runs and took the most number of wickets for the United in 2023.
Lahore Qalandars performance
in the PSL each season
| Year | Captain | Matches | Won | Lost | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Azhar Ali | 8 | 2 | 6 | Fifth |
| 2017 | Brendon McCullum | 8 | 3 | 5 | Fifth |
| 2018 | Brendon McCullum | 10 | 3 | 7 | Sixth |
| 2019 | Mohammad Hafeez, Ab de Villiers, Fakhar Zaman | 10 | 3 | 7 | Sixth |
| 2020 | Sohail Akhtar | 10 | 5 | 5 | Runners-up |
| 2021 | Sohail Akhtar | 10 | 5 | 5 | Fifth |
| 2022 | Shaheen Afridi | 10 | 4 | 6 | Champions |
| 2023 | Shaheen Afridi | 10 | 7 | 3 | Champions |
PSL 2016
Under the captaincy of Azhar Ali, the team secured the fifth position in PSL 2016, clinching victory in only two out of eight matches and consequently being eliminated in the group stage. Umar Akmal emerged as the leading run-scorer of the tournament with an impressive tally of 335 runs in seven matches.
PSL 2017
Not much changed for the Qalandars in 2017, when they were led by Brendon McCullum. Having won only three of their eight matches, they were once again eliminated in the group stage.
PSL 2018
McCullum was retained as the captain. Concluding the season in sixth place, the team managed to secure victories in only three out of their ten matches, leading to their elimination in the group stage for the third consecutive year.
PSL 2019
Initially slated to be captained by Mohammad Hafeez, the Qalandars faced a setback as he couldn't participate due to an injury. AB De Villiers stepped in as captain for two matches, and Fakhar Zaman took charge for six matches. The team secured the sixth position in the season, winning three out of ten matches and, consequently, faced elimination in the group stage for the fourth consecutive year.
PSL 2020
In 2020, Lahore Qalandars achieved a significant milestone by qualifying for the playoffs for the first time and finishing as the runner-up. Under the captaincy of Sohail Akhtar, they reached the playoffs by winning five out of their ten group-stage matches, and eventually secured the third position on the points table. Chris Lynn (284) and Shahid Afridi (13) were the top run-scorer and wicket-taker for the team, respectively.
PSL 2021
Under the captaincy of Sohail Akhtar, they have won matches and lost and many, and ended the season as the second-last team on the points table.
PSL 2022
Qalandars won their first PSL title in the 2022 season, defeating Multan Sultan by 42 runs in the final under the captaincy of Shaheen Afridi and thus became the PSL 7 Winner. Batting first, Qalandars scored 180 runs, in reply to which Sultan were bowled out for just 138. Fakhar Zaman scored 588 runs for the Qalandars that season, while Afridi picked up 20 wickets.
PSL 2023
The Qalandars won their second successive title thus becoming the PSL 8 Winner under the captaincy of Afridi. The match went down to the wire - batting first, the eventual champions posted 200 runs on the board, in reply to which Multan Sultan fell short by just one run. Zaman was once again their leading run-scorer with 429 runs, while Rashid Khan was the highest wicket-taker with 20 wickets.
FAQ:
Which are the PSL's best teams?
The two best teams in the PSL are Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars. Both teams have won the PSL twice each.
How many teams in PSL?
The PSL features franchises representing different cities - the six participating teams include Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, and Islamabad United.
Which team is the PSL 1 winner?
Islamabad United won PSL 1 in 2016.
Which team is the PSL 2 winner?
PSL 2 winner is Peshawar Zalmi in 2017.
Which team is the PSL 3 winner?
Islamabad United won their second title in PSL 3 in 2018.
Which team is the PSL 4 winner?
PSL 4 was won by Quetta Gladiators in 2019.
Which team is the PSL 5 winner?
Karachi Kings won their first title, which is also their only title so far, in PSL 5 in 2020.
Which team is the PSL 6 winner?
PSL 6 was won by Multan Sultans in 2021.
Which team is the PSL 7 winner?
Quetta Gladiators won their first title in PSL 7 in 2022.
Which team is the PSL 8 winner?
Quetta Gladiators defended their PSL 7 title in PSL 8 in 2023.
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Umaima Saeed is a professional sports writer whose articles have been featured in several leading websites. She writes long-form content on sports, particularly cricket. She has a penchant for telling human-interest stories. Umaima has contributed articles on cricket to more than a dozen publications, both in print and online.