Islamabad United Keep Rolling with Dominant Victory Over Karachi Kings
Blink and you might have missed the fireworks—or rather, the fizzle—from Karachi Kings at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. This wasn’t just another match in the PSL 2025 season. Islamabad United showed exactly why they’re sitting pretty at the top of the table, ripping through Karachi’s batting lineup and wrapping up the win with trademark efficiency.
United’s decision to put the Kings in to bat looked inspired from the very start. Naseem Shah, oozing confidence, wasted no time in drawing first blood, outfoxing the veteran David Warner with a clever slower ball that sent the opener packing early. That set the tone. Jason Holder soon followed with a dream delivery that knocked over James Vince, leaving Karachi’s fans biting their nails and their coaches scratching their heads.
The Kings were desperate for someone to take charge, and Tim Seifert tried his level best with a brisk 30. But breathing room was hard to come by as United’s bowlers hunted in packs. Shadab Khan, United’s captain and chief mischief-maker, grabbed 2 wickets for just 17 runs. The Karachi batters looked stuck—every time momentum seemed within reach, Islamabad found a way to shut it down. By the halfway mark, Karachi had crawled to just 128 runs for 7 wickets. With spinners pinning them down and seamers offering no freebies, it was clear Islamabad had done their homework.
Shadab Khan Leads from the Front—Again
Fast forward to United’s batting reply, and it was their captain who strode out with purpose. Chasing a small target in T20 can sometimes get tricky—just ask teams who’ve slipped on banana peels chasing similar scores—but Shadab Khan made sure his team didn’t stumble. If his bowling crippled Karachi, his batting left them gasping. He played with patience, working singles, taking calculated risks, and anchoring the middle overs to finish with a composed 47 off 40 balls.
Azam Khan threw his weight around too, smashing his way to 31 runs and partnering with Shadab for a crucial 65-run stand that put all nerves to rest. Even when United lost a few wickets, they never looked in doubt, ticking along at just under 8 runs per over. The team reached the target in the 17th over, barely breaking a sweat, signaling to the rest of the league that their outfit is as balanced and dangerous as ever.
This marks Islamabad’s fourth win on the trot—momentum in T20 leagues is everything, and no one seems to capitalize on that better than these men in red. Their bowlers suffocated opposition batters, their batters took responsibility under pressure, and the fielding was sharp. Not every day do you see an all-round performance click so seamlessly.
- Naseem Shah bagged 2 wickets for 29, setting the tone with the new ball.
- Holder provided key breakthroughs, making sure there was no recovery for Karachi.
- Shadab Khan stole the show, starring in both departments.
If Karachi want to bounce back, they’ll need to regroup—and fast. For Islamabad, though, it’s clear the formula is working. Whether they’re chasing big totals or defending them, their mix of local stars and international firepower looks hard to stop. The rest of PSL 2025 is officially on notice: United are the team to beat.
