Islamabad United (IU) will face Karachi Kings (KK) in Match 22 of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi. Islamabad seamer Hasan Ali has opted to stay back in the UAE a day after his decision to pull out from the tournament for ‘family concerns’.
Led by Shadab Khan, Islamabad are currently sitting at the top of the points table, with five wins in seven games. In their last encounter, they beat erstwhile table-toppers Lahore Qalandars by 25 runs. From 20/5, Asif Ali (75 in 43 balls) and Iftikhar Ahmed (49 in 37) took Islamabad to 152/7. Muhammad Musa (3-0-18-3) and Shadab (4-0-14-2) then bowled out Lahore for 124.
Fourth-placed Karachi have won three of their six matches. They lost their last match by 12 runs, to Multan Sultans. Chasing 177, Imad Wasim’s men failed to accelerate against in-form Multan bowlers before closed on 164/7. Babar Azam remained 85 not out in 63 balls.
Karachi had piled 196/3 when the two sides last met. Sharjeel Khan had top-scored with a 59-ball 105. Alex Hales (46 in 21), Iftikhar (49* in 37) and Asif (21* in 9) then saw them to a 5-wicket win in the final over.
Head to Head
Islamabad have played Karachi 15 times. They have won nine and lost six.
Probable XIs
Islamabad United: Usman Khawaja, Colin Munro, Rohail Nazir (wk), Shadab Khan (c), Iftikhar Ahmed, Hussain Talat, Asif Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Hasan Ali, Akif Javed, Muhammad Musa
Karachi Kings: Sharjeel Khan, Babar Azam, Martin Guptill, Najibullah Zadran, Chadwick Walton (wk), Thisara Perera, Imad Wasim (c), Qasim Akram, Waqas Maqsood, Mohammad Amir, Arshad Iqbal
Prediction
Karachi to win the contest.