Match overview
Lahore Qalandars beat Karachi Kings by 6 wickets at Gaddafi Stadium on 22 May 2025, chasing down a target of 191 with four wickets to spare. Karachi Kings had won the toss and elected to bat, posting 190/8. A total that, at a ground where the average first-innings score across 145 matches is 208, felt below par even if it was well above the venue's average chase score of 177. Lahore's innings was shaped by a controlled powerplay of 60 runs for 1 wicket and a dominant middle phase in which they scored 96 runs whilst losing just 1 wicket. Abdullah Shafique was named Player of the Match.
Karachi's 70-run powerplay from 1 wicket gave them every reason for optimism, and they maintained that momentum through the middle overs, adding another 70 runs. The death overs proved costly, though: 4 wickets fell for 50 runs in the final phase, leaving Lahore a target that was competitive without being prohibitive. In the chase, Lahore's middle overs proved the decisive difference. Scoring at that rate. Nearly 10 runs per over for just one wicket lost. Meant they entered the death needing 35 runs with 6 wickets still in hand.
Venue and conditions
Gaddafi Stadium has a well-established pattern in T20 cricket. Of 145 matches played there, the average first-innings score stands at 208, and the average second-innings score is 177. Teams batting first win approximately 57 per cent of the time. The chase success rate is just 43 per cent. Which puts Lahore's 6-wicket win in meaningful context. Chasing successfully here is genuinely difficult, and doing it against a total of 191 makes it a notable result.
The powerplay average at the ground is 46 runs, so both sides exceeded that figure in the first six overs of their respective innings. The average death-over score is 43 runs; Karachi's 50 from their death overs was slightly above average, though the accompanying 4 wickets constrained their finish. Toss winners have opted to field 49 per cent of the time at this venue, suggesting teams are broadly split on which approach suits the conditions.
How to watch
PSL matches are broadcast in the UK primarily on Sky Sports Cricket, accessible via a standard Sky subscription, Sky Go, or a NOW TV day pass for those without a contract. Coverage details and start times for individual fixtures are listed on the Sky Sports website and app. Given that matches in Lahore typically begin in the early evening local time, UK viewers should expect most PSL games to start in the late afternoon or early evening, usually between 14:00 and 16:00 BST.
Recent form
Karachi Kings arrived at this fixture having won three of their previous five PSL matches in 2025, including a 4-wicket win over Lahore Qalandars earlier in the season. Their losses came against Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators. Lahore Qalandars had a slightly more uneven recent run: two wins, one loss (against Karachi), one no-result, and one further win from their last five outings. The 65-run victory over Karachi at National Stadium Karachi earlier in 2025 showed Lahore are capable of decisive performances against this opposition when conditions suit them.
The overall head-to-head record still strongly favours Karachi, who lead 15 wins to 7 across 23 meetings. Four of the last five encounters had gone Karachi's way before this match. Lahore's win here narrows the gap slightly but does not alter the broader series picture. Both sides will almost certainly meet again before the season is out, and this result will be a factor in how each approaches the next fixture.