"Stadiums are jam-packed whenever these two sides take on each other" - Aaqib Javed says Karachi-Lahore PSL rivalry is like India vs Pakistan
Lahore Qalandars coach Aaqib Javed feels that the rivalry between his franchise and Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is similar to the India vs. Pakistan rivalry in international cricket.
Javed pointed out that the stadiums are jam-packed whenever Lahore Qalandars battle the Karachi Kings, just like during India vs. Pakistan clashes.
Sharing his views on the PSL rivalries in a chat with PCB Digital, Aaqib Javed said:
"The Lahore-Karachi rivalry is similar to Pakistan-India as the stadiums are jam-packed whenever these two sides take on each other. There is no added pressure on the contest but instead the players see it as an opportunity to perform and make their mark."
We might see a different rivalry emerge this season for Lahore Qalandars with Babar [Azam] moving to Peshawar Zalmi, and people will be anticipating a thrilling clash between the Zalmi captain and Shaheen Afridi 🙌
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Pakistan captain Babar Azam moved from Karachi Kings to Peshawar Zalmi ahead of the new PSL season. Javed referred to the trade and mentioned that Lahore vs. Peshawar matches will thus receive a lot more attention from the fans this year.
The Lahore head coach also feels that Peshawar Zalmi could replace Karachi as the Qalandars' arch-rivals in the upcoming PSL season.
"We might see a different rivalry emerge this season for Lahore Qalandars with Babar [Azam] moving to Peshawar Zalmi and people will be anticipating a thrilling clash between the Zalmi captain and Shaheen Afridi," Javed concluded.
Lahore Qalandars won PSL 2022 under the guidance of Aaqib Javed
How excited are you for this clash?
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Lahore Qalandars will enter the 2023 Pakistan Super League season as the defending champions. Head coach Aaqib Javed's guidance led the Qalandars to their maiden championship last year. The team has retained Shaheen Shah Afridi as their captain for the new season.
The Qalandars also retained the likes of Rashid Khan, David Wiese, Harry Brook, Abdullah Shafique, and Zaman Khan ahead of the PSL 2023 Draft. They signed Fakhar Zaman, Hussain Talat, Liam Dawson, Sikandar Raza, Dilbar Hussain, Mirza Tahir Baig, Ahmed Danlyal, Shawaiz Irfan, Jordan Cox, and Jalat Khan to complete their squad at the PSL 2023 Draft.
Lahore will start their PSL 2023 campaign against the Multan Sultans on February 13 in Multan.