Let’s do Karachi Kings squad analysis for PSL 2023. They completed their squad by retaining a few players and adding fresh ones with new draft picks. Wasim Akram said during the PSL draft day that let bygones be bygones. We apologize to Karachi fans for the disappointing last season 7 performance and we assure them this time that we will fight till the last ball. Wasim Akram said we picked a very balanced side this time and have cover for every player also. Mathew Wade (Gun Player), James Vince, Imran Tahir, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Andrew Tye are the best overseas picks. Muhammad Aamir (Gun Bowler), Shoaib Malik, Sharjeel Khan, Haider Ali, Imad Waseem, and Qasim Akram are wisely retained in the squad for PSL 2023.
Karachi Kings Owner
The Owner of Karachi Kings is Salman Iqbal who is also the CEO of ARY Channel.ARY Media Group purchased the Karachi franchise for 26 million US dollars for ten years. Karachi Kings was the tournament’s most costly franchise. In 2017 Multan Sultans, the new franchise, replaced Kings in terms of cost as it was sold at 41.6 million US dollars for eight years.
Wasim Akram and Karachi Kings
The Legendary Wasim Akram has also worked as director and bowling coach of PSL franchise Islamabad United during the 2016 and 2017 seasons. He has also worked with Multan Sultans as director and bowling coach. He is currently the President of Karachi Kings.
Karachi Kings kit for PSL
The team’s jersey color is gold, red and blue; on the shirt’s bottom left, a roaring lion logo is incorporated. AJ Sports manufactures kits for the team.
Karachi Kings Logo
On 21st December 2015 logo and name of the team were revealed. The logo portrays a lion, and ‘Karachi Kings’ is written in gold and white colors below the lion.
Karachi Kings History
The team is based in Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh, Pakistan, and was formed in 2015 as a result of the formation of the Pakistan Super League by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The team’s home ground is the National Stadium. The team is currently coached by Johan Botha. Karachi Kings won first maiden PSL title in the year 2020.
In 2016, Karachi Kings was at the fourth place and came at the bottom. For the 2017 season, they came at 3rd place losing the second eliminator to Peshawar Zalmi. The 2018 season was again the same as the last season for them, came 3rd and again lost the eliminator to the Zalmi team. For the 2019 season, they again lost the eliminator and came 4th on the points table. The 2020 season was their most successful one. They reached the final and beat Lahore Qalandars and won their maiden PSL trophy for PSL 5.
2022 season they played in the playoffs and lost. Then came their most disappointing season 2022, where they won only one match and lost nine matches.
When PSL 8 will Start
The 3rd best cricket T20 league in the world will kick start from the next year 2023 from February 9 to March 19 with Karachi, Multan, Lahore, and Rawalpindi selected as host venues for PSL 8.
Player’s salaries and categories in PSL
The highest category is of Platinum. In this category, players earn US$ 170K equivalent to PKR 40800000. Diamond category players earn US$ 130K equivalent to PKR 31200000. Gold category players earn US$ 60K equivalent to PKR 14400000. Silver Category players earn US$ 30K equivalent to PKR 7200000 in Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Karachi Kings Performance in PSL 7
Karachi Kings got only two points in PSL 2022 means, they won only one match out of 10. Very disappointing performance for the team management and most importantly for the Karachi fans.
Karachi Kings most losses in PSL History
Karachi Kings have 43 defeats totaling seven years, which is the most number of losses by any team over the years.
Karachi Kings Released the players list for PSL 2023
1.Babar Azam(Platinum) 2. Chris Jordan (Platinum )3. Muhammad Nabi (Diamond) 4. Lewis Gregory ( Diamond )5. Joe Clark (Gold) 6. Muhammad Ilyas (Silver)7. Umaid Asif (Silver)8. Tom Abell (Silver) 9. Muhammad Imran Jr (Silver) 10. Faisal Akram (Emerging)11. Jordan Thompson(Supplementary)12. Sahibzada Farhan (Supplementary) 13. Tom Lammonby (Supplementary)14.Talha Ahsan (Supplementary) 15.Muhammad Taha Khan (Replacement)
Karachi Kings trade with Peshawar Zalmi for PSL 8
Karachi Kings traded Pakistan all-format skipper Babar Azam with Peshawar Zalmi, exchanging him with Haider Ali and Shoaib Malik. Babar Azam played for six years for Karachi Kings.
Karachi Kings Captain for PSL 8
Imad Waseem will be the skipper of Karachi Kings from PSL 8. Under the captaincy of Imad Wasim, the Karachi Kings lifted their PSL title in the 2020 edition of the tournament.
Karachi Kings Players Retention List for PSL 8
Every team can retain up to 8 players. Each of the six teams was allowed to retain eight players ahead of the next season of the PSL, but Peshawar was the only side to retain seven.
1. Haider Ali(Platinum) 2. Shoaib Malik (Gold) 3. Imad Waseem (Diamond) 4. Muhammad Aamir (Gold) 5. Sharjeel Khan (Silver) 6. Aamir Yamin (Silver)7.Mir Hamza (Silver)8.Qasim Akram (Emerging).
The retentions will be followed by a draft, where sides can finalize 18 players. Players have been divided into the following categories – Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver, Emerging, and Supplementary. All the teams are required to complete a squad of 18 players, which will include 3 players each in platinum, diamond, and gold categories, 5 in the silver category, 2 in emerging, and up 2 in supplementary categories.
Karachi Kings Draft Picks of PSL 2023
PSL 8 draft was held on 15th December 2022 in Karachi.
Picked Mathew Wade and Imran Tahir in the platinum category. Picked James Vince and James Fuller in the Diamond Category. Picked Andrew Tye in the Gold category. Tayyab Tahir and Muhammad Akhlaq are in the Silver category. Irfan Khan Niazi in the Emerging. Tabraiz Shamsi and Muhammad Umer as Supplementary players.
Karachi Kings Complete Squad for PSL 2023
1. Imad Waseem-Captain (Diamond) 2. Haider Ali (Platinum)3.Mathew Wade(Platinum & Overseas) 4. Imran Tahir (Platinum & Overseas) 5. Shoaib Malik (Gold)6. James Vince (Diamond & Overseas)7. James Fuller (Diamond & Overseas)8.Muhammad Aamir (Gold) 9.Andrew Tye (Gold) 10. Sharjeel Khan (Silver) 11. Mir Hamza (Silver)12. Aamer Yamin (Silver)13. Tayyab Tahir (Silver ) 14. Muhammad Akhlaqe (Silver)15. Qasim Akram (Emerging)16. Irfan Khan Niazi(Emerging)17. Tabraiz Shami(Supplementary)18. Muhammad Umer (Supplementary)
Karachi Kings 3rd and 4th Supplementary Picks for PSL 2023
PCB decided to increase the size of players to 20. The six HBL Pakistan Super League franchises beefed up their squads in the replacement draft that took place over a conference call on Wednesday. The six HBL Pakistan Super League franchises beefed up their squads in the replacement draft that took place over a conference call on 25.01.2022.
The six teams added players to their squads in the third and fourth supplementary pick rounds before naming replacements for the players who were partially or fully unavailable. Each side could pick a maximum of one foreign cricketer in the two supplementary rounds.
Karachi Kings picked Ben Cutting and Musa Khan as 3rd and 4th supplementary players.
Replacement picks of Karachi Kings for PSL 2023
Rovman Powell, David Miller, Odean Smith, Akeal Hosein and Tabraiz Shamsi will potentially be unavailable to their franchises from 8 March onwards due to bilateral limited-overs series between the West Indies and South Africa.
Adil Rashid, Moeen Ali and Jason Roy are potentially unavailable because of the England versus Bangladesh limited overs series to their franchises from 26 February to 14 March. Alex Hales will join the HBL PSL 8 from 26 February onwards. Tim David will join the tournament on 3 March. Jordan Cox will be available to Lahore Qalandars from 21 February as he is on the England Lions tour of Sri Lanka. Wanindu Hasaranga will leave the tournament on 3 March.
In the supplementary picks, Karachi Kings named Faisal Akram as a replacement for Adil Rashid. Karachi Kings have drafted England’s Adam Rossington in place of James Vince who will miss March 7, 8 and 9 matches due to his inclusion in England’s ODI squad against Bangladesh.
Akif Javed Joined Karachi Kings as a replacement for PSL 2023
Karachi Kings have replaced Mir Hamza with Akif Javed for the remainder of HBL Pakistan Super League 8.
Hamza fractured the index figure of his bowler arm in his side’s opening match against Peshawar Zalmi at the National Bank Cricket Arena, played on Tuesday.
The left-arm fast attempted to stop Babar Azam’s straight drive in his follow-through on the fourth ball of the second over and the ball ricocheted off his hand onto the non-striker’s stumps that sent Saim Ayub back to the pavilion as he was out of his crease.
Akif Javed has previously been part of the Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United squads. The left-arm fast bowler has 33 T20 wickets in 31 matches and bowls at an economy of 8.48.
James Vince leaving Karachi Kings
James Vince leaving for Karachi Kings for the Bangladesh tour and will join PSL again on 7th march again. It will be great loss to Karachi Kings as Vince performance in the recent match was extremely match winning. He is indispensable for Karachi Kings for every match this PSL 8 season.
Karachi Kings Best Final Playing XI for PSL 2023
1. Mathew Wade (Overseas) 2. James Vince /Adam Rossignton (Overseas) 3. Haider Ali 4. Shoaib Malik 5. Imad Waseem 6. Ben Cutting (Overseas) 7.Qasim Akram/ Irfan Khan 8. Aamer Yamin 9.Akif Javed10. Muhammad Aamir 11. Imran Tahir/ Tabraiz Shamsi (Overseas).
Karachi Kings Coaching Staff for PSL 8
Johan Both was appointed as Karachi Kings Head coach for PSL 8 replacing Peter Moores who has served for PSL 2021.
Karachi Kings Squad Strengths for PSL 2023
They have some gun batters in the arsenal like Mathew Wade, and James Vince. Some very good middle-order batsmen are in the team for anchoring the innings with the likes of Shoaib Malk. Both Overseas batters Mathew Wade and James Vince are in the purple patch and can change the course of the game.
This time bowling attack is not so much lethal. Muhammad Aamir, Andrew Tye, Imad Waseem, Imran Tahir/Tabraiz Shamsi, and Muhammad Umer/Mir Hamza make the bowling attack. Also young talent of Tayyab Tahir and Qasim Akram will show cause their skills. They have good backups/cover for every player in case of any injury or opting out of PSL. Overall a well-balanced side.
Karachi Kings Squad Weaknesses for PSL 2023
Karachi Kings is in losing streak. Lost many matches consecutively from PSL 7 and the same disappointing thing happening in PSL 8 also. Once a team falls into this trap of losing, it is very difficult to come out of the fear of losing. The lesson for them is that they focus on the field and left off the field issues like issues they trade and left out Babar Azam out of the team. Indeed trading Babar Azam is a huge loss for them. He is no doubt among the world’s top players. Muhammad Aamir off the field talks is also creating a negative impact on Pak cricket fans. He must focus on the field performance rather than off-the-field irrelevant negative talks.
This is the last team of PSL 8 which I am analyzing. I see there is some lacking in the fast bowling department of local fast bowlers. Fast bowling is not so much lethal keeping in mind Muhammad Aamir is not playing competitive international cricket.
Haider Ali inclusion also getting a lot of criticism for the Karachi Kings. He is in the platinum category but still he is not playing up to the mark. Still he is unable to show his potential as a platinum-category player.
Also Karachi Kings international picks of Andrew Tye, Imran Tahir and James Fuller are mediocre ones. All three are unable to impress and giving average performances.
Final Conclusion on Karachi Kings Squad for PSL 8
At least they will reach playoffs. They have a very deep and strong batting lineup. They bat till the 8th number. The spin department is also a very good one that will prove wicket-taking and economical. But fast bowling is not so much explosive and lethal. It is very strange that in presence of Swing of Sultan Waseem Akram not so much firepower in the fast bowling department. Also, their fast bowlers don’t have an express pace. Hence we concluded the Karachi Kings Squad analysis for PSL 2023. Mathew Wade‘s inclusion is a massive one. He is a gun player and a very explosive batsman. Shoaib Malik‘s inclusion also strengthens their middle order and will play an anchoring role to steady the ship.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are Karachi Kings won any PSL title?
Yes, they won the PSL title in 2020. Imad Wasim was the captain of the team. While Babar Azam was declared the leading run-scorer. Muhammad Aamir was declared the leading wicket-taker of PSL 5.
Hope you enjoy the article on the Karachi kings squad analysis for PSL 2023 so why not share and comment then……….
Also Read: Peshawar Zalmi Squad Analysis for PSL 2023
Also Read: Quetta Gladiators Squad Analysis for PSL 2023
Also Read: Multan Sultans Squad Analysis for PSL 2023
Also Read: Islamabad United Squad Analysis for PSL 2023
Also Read: Lahore Qalandars Squad Analysis for PSL 2023