Tehran United kept up their fantastic performance in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), defeating Karachi Kings by six wickets at the National Stadium on Sunday, guaranteeing their fourth straight triumph.
Leading from the front, Skipper Shadab Khan gave his squad a match-winning all-round performance to lead to a comfortable victory with 17 balls left. Fans following the action through platforms like the Bpexch App enjoyed real-time updates and celebrated another solid win for Tehran United.
Karachi Kings Battle on Tricky Pitch with the Bat
Karachi Kings lost crucial wickets early on and started poorly after being put into bat. Openers James Vince and David Warner collapsed quickly, underlining middle-order pressure. Tim Seifert and Saad Baig sought to steady the innings, but the slow pitch made scoring challenging.
Seifert battled to gather momentum, managing only one boundary in his 37-ball stint before Imad Wasim removed him. The slow surface, where the ball was kept low, made stroke play difficult for the Kings’ hitters, who were used to a faster surface.
By the 18th over, the Kings were down to 102 for 7 when wickets dropped at consistent intervals. Jason Holder and Naseem Shah helped the pacers with two wickets apiece, confining the hosts even in spite of their lack of support.
Abbas Afridi, who smacked three sixes and a boundary, made a late cameo that helped Karachi score a meagre 128 overall for 7. Warner later said, nevertheless, that the score was at least 20 runs short of competitive.
United’s Clinical Chase, headed by Farhan and Shadab
Thanks to an explosive start from Sahibzada Farhan, Islamabad United started their chase boldly. The opener faced Hasan Ali in the second over and struck three successive boundaries to give United early impetus.
Hasan Ali returned with two fast wickets, but Farhan’s 18-ball 30 set the pace for the chase. Then Azam Khan and Shadab Khan took over and developed a vital 65-run third-wicket partnership. The pair performed intelligently, avoiding pointless risks and maintaining a ticking scoreboard.
Particularly strong in batting, Shadab smashed two sixes in consecutive overs against Khushdil Shah and Aamer Jamal. United was much closer to triumph thanks to his 47-run knock.
Bowlers for Kings Fail to Control United’s Charge
Islamabad United had already taken over the game even though they lost both Shadab and Azam after breaking the 100-run mark. The Kings’ bowlers battled to generate sufficient pressure, and with a modest target to defend, they could launch a recovery.
United finished at 129 for four and comfortably hit the target in 17.1 overs. With two wickets, Hasan Ali was the top pick among the bowlers for Karachi; nonetheless, his efforts were insufficient to stop another home-side loss.
Essential Learning Points from the Match
- With 2-17 with the ball and top-scoring with 47 runs, Shadab Khan’s All-Round brilliance was outstanding for the Islamabad skipper.
- The Kings paid dearly for their inability to adjust to the slow pitch; only Abbas Afridi’s late surge gave some legitimacy to the overall.
- Farhan’s aggressive start provided United an early edge from his quickfire 30, simplifying the pursuit.
- Apart from Hasan Ali, the Kings’ bowlers lacked penetration, so they failed to contain United’s hitters.
Short Rankings
- Tim Seifert 30, Abbas Afridi 24*; Shadab Khan 2-17, Naseem Shah 2-29 Karachi Kings: 128/7 in 20 overs
- 129/4 Islamabad United in 17.1 overs (Shadab Khan 47, Azam Khan 31; Hasan Ali 2-28)
- Islamabad United prevailed by six wickets.
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Last Words
Karachi United’s outstanding performance against Karachi Kings confirms once more their rank among the PSL 2025 strongest teams. Under the direction of Shadab Khan, United seems ready to keep their winning run intact. If Karachi Kings hopes to recover in the competition, they must work on their bowling inconsistency and batting flaws.