Karachi Kings vs Islamabad United Prediction & Match Preview – PSL 2026 25th Match
Match summary
Karachi Kings and Islamabad United meet at the National Stadium on 16 April in PSL 2026. Our preview covers form, captaincy changes and pitch.
Match details
| Match | Karachi Kings vs Islamabad United, 25th Match |
|---|---|
| Series | Pakistan Super League 2026 |
| Date | 16 Apr 2026 |
| Start time | 2:00 pm GMT / 7:00 pm local |
| Venue | National Stadium, Karachi |
| Status | Played |
| Our pick | Islamabad United |
| Toss pick | Karachi Kings |
Matches in this series
Match preview
Karachi Kings and Islamabad United meet in the 25th match of PSL 2026 at the National Stadium in Karachi on Thursday, 16 April, with a 7:00 pm local start.
Karachi have three wins and two defeats from five games, with six points and a net run rate of -1.395. After beating Quetta Gladiators, Lahore Qalandars and Rawalpindiz, they were bowled out for 87 in a 159-run loss to Peshawar Zalmi and then lost to Hyderabad Kingsmen by four wickets. Azam Khan leads their run-scorers with 153, Moeen Ali has 124 at the best strike rate in the side, and Hasan Ali has nine wickets. With David Warner unavailable, Moeen is captaining.
Islamabad have three wins, two losses and a no-result from six matches, with seven points and a net run rate of +1.363. Sameer Minhas has 207 runs, Devon Conway has found form with scores of 59 and 45, and Mark Chapman has 106 at a strike rate of 182.76. Shadab Khan’s injury has put Chris Green in charge, and he has five wickets, alongside Faheem Ashraf and Imad Wasim. Islamabad lost their last game, to Hyderabad Kingsmen, but with the steadier batting our preview favours them.
Karachi’s National Stadium tends to offer a flat pitch with true bounce and a quick outfield, so batters can play freely and high totals are routine. Seamers may get some swing or seam in the opening overs, though batting is easiest once the ball is old. Spin can matter in the middle overs without much sharp turn, and dew late in the evening often makes chasing easier.
Expect a warm, pleasant evening with temperatures of about 29–30°C, mostly clear to partly cloudy skies and moderate coastal humidity. A light sea breeze should make it more comfortable than the afternoon. Rain is very unlikely.
Expected scores
| Innings | Predicted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| First innings | 165–180 | – |
| Second innings | 155–175 | – |
Islamabad United
Islamabad United have the better net run rate and the more consistent batting, while Karachi are without their regular captain.
Toss pick: Karachi Kings
FAQ
Who is captaining Karachi Kings?
David Warner is unavailable, so Moeen Ali has taken over as captain.
Who is leading Islamabad United?
Shadab Khan missed the previous match with a recurring injury, and Chris Green has been captaining in his absence.
Who has been the standout batter for Islamabad?
Teenage opener Sameer Minhas, with 207 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 164.29 on his PSL debut.
Probable XIs
Expected line-ups from our preview. c = captain, wk = wicketkeeper.
Karachi Kings
- Reeza Hendricks
- Muhammad Waseem
- Salman Ali Agha
- Saad Baig
- Azam Khanwk
- Moeen Alic
- Khushdil Shah
- Abbas Afridi
- Hasan Ali
- Adam Zampa
- Ihsanullah
Islamabad United
- Devon Conwaywk
- Sameer Minhas
- Mohammad Faiq
- Mark Chapman
- Haider Ali
- Faheem Ashraf
- Chris Greenc
- Imad Wasim
- Richard Gleeson
- Salman Irshad