On a night when the Karachi crowd showed up in numbers to support their team at National Bank Stadium, the home side delivered yet another underwhelming performance. Islamabad United, by contrast, continued their flawless campaign in the HBL Pakistan Super League 2025 with a commanding six-wicket win — their fourth in as many games.
Karachi Kings, who have struggled with consistency all season, once again fell into their win-one-lose-one rhythm. Batting first on a tricky pitch, they managed only 128-7 in their 20 overs. Islamabad chased it down comfortably, with 17 balls to spare, thanks to a composed partnership between captain Shadab Khan and Azam Khan.
The Kings’ innings started shakily, losing key batters David Warner and James Vince early on to searing deliveries from Naseem Shah and Jason Holder. They crawled to 41-2 in the powerplay, with debutant Saad Baig providing brief resistance through a couple of crisp boundaries. Saad, however, couldn’t convert his promising start and fell to Shadab Khan for 20.
Tim Seifert struggled to get going and labored to 30 off 37 before chipping one back to spinner Imad Wasim. The Kings never really found momentum. Irfan Khan was undone by a lovely googly from Shadab, while Naseem dismissed Khushdil Shah with a sharp bouncer. Aamer Jamal’s brief stay ended at the hands of Holder.
It was Abbas Afridi who brought some life back to the innings in the 19th over. He hammered two towering sixes off Naseem and followed up with another six and a four off Holder in the final over, scoring a quickfire 24 off just nine balls. However, the damage had been done early, and Kings’ total looked below par.
United’s chase started calmly. Opener Farhan continued his red-hot form, smashing five boundaries and a six in a rapid 30 before Hasan Ali dismissed him with a smart slower ball. Hasan struck again in the same over, this time bowling Colin Munro with a beautiful in-swinger.
At 38-2, Shadab Khan and Azam Khan came together and took full control of the chase. With the required rate well under control, the duo picked their moments wisely. Azam clubbed Abbas Afridi for a six and a four to close the powerplay, while Shadab showcased his class with elegant shots down the ground and over extra cover.
Their 65-run stand off 52 balls crushed any hopes of a Karachi comeback. Azam fell for 31, bowled by Mohammad Nabi, while Shadab’s near-perfect innings ended at 47. But by then, the game was all but over. Mohammad Nawaz completed the chase with ease.
Islamabad United once again proved why they’re the team to beat, blending disciplined bowling with composed batting. Karachi, on the other hand, will need to fix their recurring issues fast — or risk slipping further down the table in a season that’s fast getting away from them.
