The ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025 has taken an amusing turn off the field, with Lahore Qalandars presenting their captain, Shaheen Shah Afridi, a 24k gold-plated iPhone 16 Pro — a gesture many believe was a cheeky response to Karachi Kings’ unusual award choices.
A video shared by Lahore Qalandars on social media showed their management handing the luxury phone to Afridi, sparking reactions across the cricketing community.
The move seemed to subtly poke fun at Karachi Kings, who had earlier grabbed attention for giving out unorthodox gifts to players after standout performances.
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On April 12, Karachi’s batter James Vince was named the ‘Most Reliable Player of the Match’ by sponsor Dawlance for his explosive 42-ball century that helped secure a thrilling four-wicket win over Multan Sultans.
His reward, however, was not a trophy or plaque but a hair dryer, handed to him inside the dressing room.
Vince later shared a light-hearted post on Instagram, calling it a “lovely upgrade on the hotel dryer,” which quickly caught fire on social media and led to a wave of memes and jokes.
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Continuing their quirky streak, Karachi then presented fast bowler Hasan Ali with a beard trimmer for his 4/28 performance against Lahore Qalandars — despite losing the match by 65 runs.
In contrast, Lahore’s gold-plated phone was seen by fans as a playful yet pointed statement, highlighting the absurdity of Karachi’s awards while adding their own luxurious twist to the trend.
While such antics have added humour to the league, many fans and analysts hope the spotlight soon returns to the cricketing action itself.
For now, however, the award game appears to be as competitive and entertaining as the matches.