Most Successful PSL Team of All-Time

Do you know which is the most successful team in the PSL history? Let’s find out it by reviewing all matches, including overall win percentage, playoffs, finals, runner-up, and title winners.

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) launched in 2016 as a thrilling T20 cricket competition. It features six teams battling for glory each year. Success in PSL comes from titles won, final appearances, consistent playoff runs, and standout player performances.  Over 10 seasons, Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars stand out with three championships each. Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, Multan Sultans, and Karachi Kings each claimed one title.

Most Successful PSL Team with the Highest Win Percentage (2016 – 2025)

Team	Win Percentage	Titles Won	Final Appearances	Times Runner-Up
Islamabad United	54.46%	3	3	0
Lahore Qalandars	44.85%	3	4	1
Peshawar Zalmi	51.75%	1	4	3
Multan Sultans	51.68%	1	4	3
Quetta Gladiators	50.00%	1	4	3
Karachi Kings	39.62%	1	1	0

Teams Overview

Islamabad United: Titles Eaters

The inaugural PSL (Pakistan Super League) season began in 2016, with Islamabad United winning the first championship by defeating the Quetta Gladiators in the final match held in Dubai. Sharjeel Khan scored the first century in PSL history during that season. 

In 2018, Islamabad United secured their second PSL title by winning the final match in Karachi against the Peshawar Zalmi. Luke Ronchi was named the Player of the Tournament with his remarkable 435 runs. Islamabad United won their third title in 2024, with a nail-biting finish against Multan Sultans. 

Owned by Leonine Global Sports, Islamabad United has a win rate of 55% across 100 matches. The team has consistently reached the playoffs in most seasons, and in 2018, they ranked first in the league with a 75% success rate. 

The team has several key players who have led them to success, including Shadab Khan, a standout all-rounder with 91 wickets and 1240 runs. Colin Munro leads the batting charts for the team with 1322 runs. 

Team captains Misbah-ul-Haq and Shadab Khan have guided the team through both good and bad times. Some of the most memorable moments for Islamabad United include Mohammad Sami’s hat-trick and their wins coming off the last ball. 

In 2020, Islamabad United finished sixth in the league, but the team bounced back in 2021 and 2022. The 2022 Pakistani cricket data indicate that the Islamabad United will continue to have a steady performance record in the PSL, but will not win the PSL championship.

Lahore Qalandars: From Struggles to Three-Time Champions

Lahore Qalandars had a rough start to their franchise life in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) as they were at the bottom of the table from 2016 to 2019. The Rana brothers, as owners, bankrolled the team through the most challenging times and took up initiatives like Jazz Rising Stars to discover local talent. 

The turnaround was brought about by a fateful year 2020 in which Qalandars finished as runners-up for the first time. The following year, they went all the way to lift their maiden PSL trophy, defeating Multan Sultans by 42 runs. Shaheen Afridi, the leading light of the match, was brilliant both with the bat and ball.

Read More: PSL Winners List

They were able to hold on to their throne in 2023, narrowly beating Multan Sultans (by one run) in the closest PSL final ever. Death bowling by Zaman Khan was what sealed the deal. In 2025, the third title came through a successful run chase by Quetta Gladiators, with Kusal Perera scoring a match-winning 62 not out. It set them apart as the first to win three titles and be tied with Islamabad. 

Lahore Qalandars have overall lost 57. 45% of the matches (42 out of 99 games), meaning their recent good form is responsible for winning 65-69% of their games (in the title-winning years). Fakhar Zaman is the highest run scorer with 2525, whereas Shaheen Afridi is the leading wicket-taker with 108. Captain Shaheen has been the mainstay of the team since 2022, boasting a win percentage of 57. 52.

The rivalry with Karachi Kings adds a lot of excitement to these matches. Even though they had a miserable season in 2024 (ending up last), they came back with a bang in 2025.

Peshawar Zalmi: Consistent Yet One Crown

Peshawar Zalmi, under the ownership of Javed Afridi, claimed their only title in 2017 by defeating Quetta Gladiators. The victory was sealed with a 58-run margin thanks to the explosive innings of Darren Sammy and the tight bowling in the death overs. They also reached the final in 2018, 2019, and 2021, but finished second each time. 

In 104 matches, Zalmi secured 52 wins. 88% of the time, and thus, they were in the playoffs almost every year. In 2016, they even finished at the top of the table but couldn’t take the trophy. Kamran Akmal is the highest run scorer with 1972 runs, including an unbeaten 107*. Wahab Riaz is the leading wicket-taker with 113. 

The team captains, for instance, Sammy (57, 89% win rate) and Babar Azam, were not only effective but also popular with fans. Some memorable moments include a 10-wicket victory in 2018 and chasing records. In 2025, they remained very strong but did not reach the final. Their worldwide branches and celebrity ambassadors are a great source of their popularity.

Quetta Gladiators: Top Dominance

Quetta Gladiators were the early ones to dominate when the league landed in the city in 2016. They could not win the big prize but appeared in the final twice in 2016 and 2017 as runners-up. In 2019, they finally held the trophy, beating Peshawar Zalmi by eight wickets. Mohammad Hasnain’s fast bowling stole the show. The team has been managed by Nadeem Omar, with a 47.82% win percentage.

Along with playoffs in 2016, 2018, and 2024, the Quetta side has shown great stability throughout these years. Contrarily, they had four consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance from 2020 to 2023. Sarfaraz Ahmed accumulates the most runs (1525) and has been the captain for years (48.10% win rate). 

Mohammad Nawaz is the leading wicket-taker (70). In 2025, with Saud Shakeel (70% win rate) as captain, they reached the final and were defeated by Lahore. The 145* of Jason Roy in a record 243 run chase in 2023 is still talked about. 

Multan Sultans: Recent Powerhouse

Multan Sultans joined the league in 2018 and won their first-ever title in 2021 against Peshawar Zalmi. In the last three years of 2022, 2023, and 2024, they went to the finals and ended up as runners-up, thus showing the strength of the late bloomers. The team has a winning percentage of 56.96 and is owned by the Tareen family (vacant post, 2025). 

Mohammad Rizwan is the captain and the top run scorer (3,443). Imran Tahir is the leading wicket-taker (53). Struggling initially, the team eventually became dominant with top finishes in 2020, 2022, and 2024. However, there was a dispute about ownership in 2025, and no data is available.

Karachi Kings: One-time King

In 2020, Karachi Kings took the crown, defeating Lahore Qalandars in the final. It was Babar Azam’s composed batting that made the difference. They have made it to the playoffs 6 times, with a win rate of 37%. 89%, but have not performed well lately (last place in 2022). Babar is the highest run scorer (2,398) and Mohammad Amir the highest wicket-taker (63). Imad Wasim’s captaincy (48. 97%) was the main factor. The most memorable moment is Mohammad Amir’s 2016 hat-trick.

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