Eleven straight wins sum up the Karachi Kings vs Islamabad United head to head: Islamabad United have taken every meeting since 2021 and lead 19-6 across 25 PSL matches since 7 Feb 2016. The streak grew again on 16 Apr 2026, when they won by 8 wickets in Karachi itself.
Karachi Kings have not beaten Islamabad since 2020. This page walks through each season, the leading batters and bowlers on both sides, the heaviest defeats and the venues used.
A one-sided PSL rivalry
It was not always this way. Karachi swept all three games of 2017, including a 44 run hammering in Sharjah on 1 Mar 2017 that saw Islamabad dismissed for 82, and they won both meetings of 2020. Add a single win from 2018 and that is the full list of Karachi’s six victories.
From 2021 on, Islamabad have won everything: two games a season through 2025 and the lone game of 2026. Inside that 11 match run sit the tightest finish, a 1 run win in Lahore on 14 Feb 2022, and the heaviest, by 79 runs at Rawalpindi on 19 May 2025.
Chasers have won 20 of these 25 contests; teams defending a total have managed only 5. First innings have averaged 164, and chasing sides have rarely been troubled by that. Each club’s overall story is on the Karachi Kings records page and the Islamabad United records page.
Karachi Kings vs Islamabad United Head to Head Record in the PSL
| Matches | Karachi Kings won | Islamabad United won | Tied | No result | First meeting | Latest meeting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 6 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 7 Feb 2016 | 16 Apr 2026 |
Karachi Kings vs Islamabad United Results by Season
| Season | Matches | Karachi Kings won | Islamabad United won | Tied/NR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2022 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2021 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2020 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2018 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2017 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Most Runs in Karachi Kings vs Islamabad United Matches
| Batter | M | Inns | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babar Azam Karachi Kings | 15 | 15 | 503 | 81 | 38.69 | 122.98 | 0 | 4 |
| AD Hales Islamabad United | 10 | 10 | 354 | 88 | 35.40 | 159.46 | 0 | 1 |
| L Ronchi Islamabad United | 6 | 6 | 348 | 94* | 116.00 | 174.87 | 0 | 4 |
| Shadab Khan Islamabad United | 16 | 16 | 328 | 54* | 32.80 | 143.86 | 0 | 1 |
| Asif Ali Islamabad United | 13 | 13 | 304 | 70 | 43.43 | 176.74 | 0 | 1 |
| Sharjeel Khan Karachi Kings | 8 | 8 | 297 | 105 | 37.12 | 166.85 | 1 | 0 |
| Imad Wasim Karachi Kings | 15 | 15 | 296 | 92* | 26.91 | 139.62 | 0 | 2 |
| C Munro Islamabad United | 8 | 8 | 286 | 88* | 40.86 | 151.32 | 0 | 3 |
| Azam Khan Islamabad United | 6 | 6 | 194 | 72* | 38.80 | 151.56 | 0 | 1 |
| Faheem Ashraf Islamabad United | 10 | 10 | 167 | 41 | 33.40 | 146.49 | 0 | 0 |
Most Wickets in Karachi Kings vs Islamabad United Matches
| Bowler | M | Inns | Wkts | Best | Avg | Econ | 5w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shadab Khan Islamabad United | 21 | 21 | 21 | 4/15 | 24.38 | 6.92 | 0 |
| Imad Wasim Karachi Kings | 17 | 17 | 16 | 3/18 | 25.00 | 7.32 | 0 |
| Faheem Ashraf Islamabad United | 15 | 15 | 16 | 3/23 | 27.44 | 8.34 | 0 |
| Mohammad Amir Karachi Kings | 18 | 18 | 16 | 3/7 | 31.62 | 8.10 | 0 |
| Rumman Raees Islamabad United | 12 | 12 | 15 | 4/25 | 23.40 | 8.13 | 0 |
| Mohammad Sami Islamabad United | 9 | 9 | 12 | 5/8 | 16.50 | 6.53 | 1 |
| Usman Shinwari Karachi Kings | 10 | 10 | 11 | 4/17 | 25.64 | 9.25 | 0 |
| Usama Mir Karachi Kings | 7 | 7 | 7 | 3/24 | 19.57 | 6.52 | 0 |
| Sohail Khan Karachi Kings | 4 | 4 | 6 | 2/23 | 15.33 | 6.90 | 0 |
| Umer Khan Karachi Kings | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2/16 | 18.80 | 5.88 | 0 |
Highest individual scores
| Batter | Score | Balls | 4s | 6s | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharjeel Khan Karachi Kings | 105 | 59 | 9 | 8 | 24 Feb 2021 |
| L Ronchi Islamabad United | 94* | 39 | 12 | 5 | 18 Mar 2018 |
| Imad Wasim Karachi Kings | 92* | 54 | 11 | 2 | 3 Mar 2023 |
| AD Hales Islamabad United | 88 | 35 | 6 | 8 | 19 May 2025 |
| C Munro Islamabad United | 88* | 56 | 12 | 2 | 14 Jun 2021 |
Best bowling figures
| Bowler | Figures | Overs | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammad Sami Islamabad United | 5/8 | 4 | 20 Feb 2016 |
| Shadab Khan Islamabad United | 4/15 | 4 | 6 Feb 2022 |
| Usman Shinwari Karachi Kings | 4/17 | 4 | 16 Mar 2018 |
| Rumman Raees Islamabad United | 4/25 | 4 | 1 Mar 2017 |
| Shadab Khan Islamabad United | 4/45 | 4 | 19 May 2025 |
Highest team totals
| Team | Total | Overs | Against | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Islamabad United | 251/5 | 20 | Karachi Kings | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi | 19 May 2025 |
| Islamabad United | 204/4 | 19.2 | Karachi Kings | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi | 3 Mar 2023 |
| Karachi Kings | 201/5 | 20 | Islamabad United | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi | 3 Mar 2023 |
| Islamabad United | 197/5 | 19.1 | Karachi Kings | National Stadium Karachi, Karachi | 24 Feb 2021 |
| Karachi Kings | 196/3 | 20 | Islamabad United | National Stadium Karachi, Karachi | 24 Feb 2021 |
Lowest totals
| Team | Total | Overs | Against | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Islamabad United | 82 | 15.2 | Karachi Kings | Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah | 1 Mar 2017 |
| Islamabad United | 124 | 19 | Karachi Kings | Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah | 16 Mar 2018 |
| Karachi Kings | 126 | 19.4 | Islamabad United | Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah | 1 Mar 2017 |
| Karachi Kings | 172 | 18.2 | Islamabad United | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi | 19 May 2025 |
Biggest wins
| Result | Format | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Islamabad United won by 79 runs | T20 | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi | 19 May 2025 |
| Karachi Kings won by 44 runs | T20 | Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah | 1 Mar 2017 |
| Islamabad United won by 42 runs | T20 | National Stadium Karachi, Karachi | 6 Feb 2022 |
| Islamabad United won by 9 wickets | T20 | Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai | 20 Feb 2016 |
| Islamabad United won by 8 wickets | T20 | Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah | 4 Mar 2018 |
| Islamabad United won by 8 wickets | T20 | Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai | 18 Mar 2018 |
Most player of the match awards
| Player | Awards |
|---|---|
| L Ronchi Islamabad United | 3 |
| AD Hales Islamabad United | 3 |
| Asif Ali Islamabad United | 2 |
| Shadab Khan Islamabad United | 2 |
| Saeed Ajmal Islamabad United | 1 |
| Imran Khalid Islamabad United | 1 |
Grounds Where Karachi and Islamabad Have Met Most
| Ground | Matches | Karachi Kings won | Islamabad United won |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Stadium Karachi | 8 | 1 | 7 |
| Sharjah Cricket Stadium | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| Dubai International Cricket Stadium | 5 | 1 | 4 |
| Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Gaddafi Stadium | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Latest Karachi Kings vs Islamabad United Results
| Date | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Apr 2026 | National Stadium Karachi, Karachi | Islamabad United won by 8 wickets |
| 19 May 2025 | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi | Islamabad United won by 79 runs |
| 20 Apr 2025 | National Stadium Karachi, Karachi | Islamabad United won by 6 wickets |
| 7 Mar 2024 | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi | Islamabad United won by 5 wickets |
| 28 Feb 2024 | National Stadium Karachi, Karachi | Islamabad United won by 7 wickets |
| 3 Mar 2023 | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi | Islamabad United won by 6 wickets |
| 16 Feb 2023 | National Stadium Karachi, Karachi | Islamabad United won by 4 wickets |
| 14 Feb 2022 | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore | Islamabad United won by 1 run |
| 6 Feb 2022 | National Stadium Karachi, Karachi | Islamabad United won by 42 runs |
| 14 Jun 2021 | Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi | Islamabad United won by 8 wickets |
Top run scorers and wicket takers
Babar Azam (Karachi Kings) has made more runs in this fixture than anyone: 503 across 15 innings, with 4 fifties and an average of 38.69. Alex Hales (Islamabad United) trails on 354 but has scored far faster, at 159.46, and has won 3 match awards.
Luke Ronchi (Islamabad United) has the eye-catching line. Six innings have brought him 348 runs, 4 fifties, an average of 116.00 and 3 match awards, and his unbeaten 94 from 39 deliveries in Mar 2018 ranks second among individual scores. Asif Ali (Islamabad United) has the quickest strike rate, 176.74.
On the bowling side, Shadab Khan (Islamabad United) has 21 wickets for 24.38 apiece, and his 4/15 from Feb 2022 is the second best spell. Karachi’s leaders, Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir, have 16 each, as does Faheem Ashraf for Islamabad. The only five-wicket haul belongs to Mohammad Sami (Islamabad United): 5/8 on 20 Feb 2016.
Highest scores, totals and grounds
Sharjeel Khan (Karachi Kings) owns the fixture’s only century, 105 from 59 balls on 24 Feb 2021, yet Karachi lost that night: Karachi’s 196/3 was overtaken by Islamabad’s 197/5.
Nothing comes near Islamabad’s 251/5 on 19 May 2025 in Rawalpindi, a total built around Hales’s 88 from 35 balls. Next best is the 204/4 they made chasing at that same ground on 3 Mar 2023.
Karachi’s home venue has been the least friendly: they have won just 1 of 8 games at the National Stadium. Only at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium are the sides level, 3-3, and Islamabad are 3-1 up at Rawalpindi. Karachi’s rivalry with Peshawar has its own Karachi Kings vs Peshawar Zalmi page.
Questions about Karachi Kings vs Islamabad United
Karachi Kings or Islamabad United: who has more wins?
Islamabad United, comfortably. The count is 19-6 from 25 PSL games since Feb 2016, every one decided. They have now won 11 on the trot.
Which side won the latest Karachi Kings vs Islamabad United game?
Islamabad, by 8 wickets in Karachi on 16 Apr 2026. They had also thrashed Karachi by 79 runs at Rawalpindi on 19 May 2025.
Who is the top run scorer when Karachi meet Islamabad?
Babar Azam, on 503 for Karachi. Hales (354) and Ronchi (348) are the leading Islamabad batters.
What is the top individual score in this PSL fixture?
Sharjeel Khan’s 105 for Karachi Kings in Feb 2021. The best team score is Islamabad’s 251/5 at Rawalpindi in May 2025.
Do Karachi vs Islamabad games favour batting first or chasing?
Chasing, clearly: 20 wins against 5, with first-innings scores averaging 164.
Source: ball-by-ball match data from Cricsheet.org (ODC-BY). See how we compile these records.