Islamabad United (IU) seem to be on a mission to take down every team in the league this season. They have handed crushing defeats to all teams they have faced so far, including Lahore Qalandars, Peshawar Zalmi, and Multan Sultans. Now, they step out of their home territory and face Karachi Kings (KK) in Karachi. Could this be when their juggernaut finally gets halted? In all fairness, they have not looked like a team that hinges its chances upon conditions. And they could very much add another chapter to their invincibility by outdoing Karachi at their home.
Though it might not exactly be a walk in the park. Though Karachi endured a crushing defeat at the hands of Lahore Qalandars (LQ), they seem to be doing decently under David Warner’s captaincy. They did lose against Islamabad the last time they played in Rawalpindi, but KK have been a changed team since then, and if someone can put a stopper to IU’s invincibility, they could very much be the one.
Team Overview:
No one has more centuries in any league this year than Sahibzada Farhan. He is averaging north of 61 this season, and his rather blistering form has helped Islamabad carry their legacy of a destructive top order. IU would fancy getting more contributions from their other local batters as well. Andries Gous has not really been a relieving sight for Islamabad as he failed to chip in with the bat in all three games so far. With Matthew Short already out of the tournament with an injury, Islamabad might think they are short on top-order options. They do have Rassie van der Dussen, who has previously done well enough in the league (albeit for LQ), and bringing him in for this game could really take their killer instinct to the next level.
Jason Holder has been one of the best signings for Islamabad this season. He is currently leading the bowling charts in the PSL this season, and he will come in as very handy against Karachi.
Karachi’s Hasan Ali is closely behind Holder in terms of wicket tally, though he has been a few runs more expensive. Mohammad Nabi and Abbas Afridi provided him with plenty of support in the last game, and if they hope to halt Islamabad in this match, a similar effort would be needed from the bowlers. Karachi’s top three batters look pretty decent and could be particularly damaging in the powerplay, but the middle order’s erratic nature could cost them plenty. Their middle order averages the least of all this season (16.36), and that’s the Achilles’ heel Islamabad would like to target.
Head-to-Head Matches:
Karachi have only won six games against Islamabad in 22 games both teams have played over the years. All of the remaining sixteen were bested by Islamabad.
Weather and Pitch Report:
The National Stadium in Karachi offers decent batting conditions, with an average first innings score of 190. In all three games played here, two matches saw at least one team scoring in excess of 200 runs; however, batting second here hasn’t been very easy. As the match progresses, spinners will find some assistance. The captain winning the toss will prefer to bat first to cash in on the favorable batting conditions.
Where to Watch:
Pakistan: A Sports, PTV Sports, Tapmad, Tamasha, Walee Technologies, Myco App, Begin
India: FanCode App, Sony Sports Network
Africa: Super Sports
Sri Lanka and Afghanistan: Sony Sports Network
North America: Willow TV
MENA: MYCO
Rest of the World: Sports Central
