The Pakistan Super League 2025 is maintaining its exciting run, and we have a blockbuster on May 10, 2025, as we have Match 29 between Islamabad United (ISL) and Karachi Kings (KAR) at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium starting at 8:30 PM PKT. Both ISL and KAR will be eager to win, as they have both accumulated 10 points each, and they both desire to maintain their conflict for playoff qualification.

Head-to-Head Record

ISL and KAR have clashed 22 times in the PSL since 2016, with ISL holding a clear advantage:

• ISL Wins: 16
• KAR Wins: 6
• No Result/Abandoned: 0
• Win Percentage: ISL has a 72.73% win rate against KAR.

At Rawalpindi, ISL has won 4 of 5 encounters, reinforcing their dominance at this venue.

Also Read: IPL 2025 likely to be cancelled amid India - Pakistan tensions: Report

Memorable Matchups Between ISL and KAR

The rivalry between ISL and KAR has provided some memorable encounters. ISL came out on top most of the time, but KAR had their moments of brilliance: 

April 20, PSL 2025, Match 10 – Karachi (National Stadium) 

• KAR: 128/7 (20 overs)
• ISL: 129/4 (17.1 overs)
• Result: Islamabad United won by 6 wickets.

KAR fell to 128/7; Tim Seifert scored 30 off 37. ISL chased, with Shadab Khan scoring 47 off 40. He had a good 65-run partnership with Azam Khan (31 off 30) and managed to win with 17 balls left in hand. Naseem Shah took 2/29 for ISL. Player of the Match: Shadab Khan.

February 28, PSL 2024, Match 15 – Karachi (National Stadium)

• KAR: 165/5 (20 overs)
• ISL: 169/3 (18.3 overs)
• Result: Islamabad United won by 7 wickets.

KAR made 165/5, with Shan Masood's 50 off 38. ISL chased it down, thanks to Colin Munro's 82 off 47 and Alex Hales's 40 off 29. Hasan Ali took 2/34 for KAR. ISL lost early, but their openers got them off to a comfortable chase. Player of the Match: Colin Munro.

Also Read: Is Virat Kohli going to lead team in India vs England Test series?

March 7, PSL 2024, Match 24 – Rawalpindi

• ISL: 151/5 (20 overs)
• KAR: 145/7 (20 overs)
• Result: Islamabad United won by 6 runs.

ISL managed to post 151/5; Agha Salman scored 37 off 25. For KAR, James Vince made 45 off 34, but they fell short at 145/7. Imad Wasim took 3/22 to sway the match for ISL at the end. Player of the Match: Imad Wasim.

All remaining matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will now be held in Karachi after India conducted Operation Sindoor that targeted terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir. The decision to move the matches to Karachi was made as a result of an A Sports report on advancing security. The PSL round-robin tournament started on April 11 and is scheduled to end on May 18.

The eight matches remaining in the tournament consist of four league matches and four playoff matches. Previously, faced with minimal global security issues, three league matches were slated for Rawalpindi and one for Multan. The playoff matches were also supposed to take place at Rawalpindi and Lahore, with Lahore set to host two Eliminator matches and the Final match.

See Also: Operation Sindoor Impact in PSL: England players may exit PSL over security fears

The meeting to make the venue decision was an emergency meeting that took place at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Among the meeting participants were owners of PSL franchises and senior officials of law enforcement organizations. The decision to move all the matches to Karachi is to protect players, officials, and fans, however, the regional tensions are surging. 

The remaining matches of PSL have been shifted to Karachi. pic.twitter.com/bGEkp4VEr7

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 8, 2025

Drone attack at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium amid PSL 10

Panic ensued after a drone crash around Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday, mere hours before a scheduled Pakistan Super League (PSL) fixture - Peshawar Zalmi against Karachi Kings. The drone crashed into a nearby restaurant and injured two civilians, who were taken to hospital. As tensions between India and Pakistan escalate, after Operation Sindoor, the authorities close the area and opened an investigation to determine where the drone came from and if it had any payloads. This raises serious concerns about security ahead of the scheduled match. 

The incident caused panic across social media, with images plastered across profiles and the fears over player and spectator safety arising again. The PSL match that was due to be held on May 8, is now uncertain, with reports stating that the PSL would move the tournament to Karachi, which is expected to be more secure. The Pakistan Cricket Board and law enforcement are monitoring the situation, weighing up their options of supporting major sporting events as tensions further escalate.

Match 27 in PSL 2025 is between Peshawar Zalmi (PES) and Karachi Kings (KAR) and is to be held at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on May 8, 2025, at 8:30 PM PKT. This is a big game for both franchises to help determine the playoff standings in the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Head-to-Head Record

• Total Matches: 21
• PES Wins: 15
• KAR Wins: 6
• No Result/Tied: 0
• Win Percentage: PES has a 71.43% win rate against KAR.

Also Read: Shocking Update: Will IPL 2025 be cancelled due to Operation Sindhoor?

Notable Confrontations Between PES and KAR

The PES vs. KAR rivalry has delivered many entertaining rivalries over the years, and while sometimes PES has the edge in this rivalry, there have been plenty of entertaining matches. Here are three of the best matches between PES and KAR:

April 21, PSL 2025, Match 11 - Karachi (National Stadium)

• PES: 147/8 (20 overs)
• KAR: 148/8 (20 overs)
• Result: Karachi Kings by 2 wickets

PES scored 147/8 (Babar Azam 46). KAR's Abbas Afridi (3 wickets) and Khushdil Shah (3 wickets) kept PES in check. David Warner (60) and Khushdil (23) guided a thrilling chase. Player of the Match: Abbas Afridi.

Also Read: WATCH: Rahul Vaidya's response when asked about his controversy with Virat Kohli

February 21, PSL 2024, Match 6 - Lahore (Gaddafi Stadium)

• PES: 154/10 (19.5 overs)
• KAR: 157/3 (16.5 overs)
• Result: Karachi Kings by 7 wickets

PES scored 154/10 (Babar Azam 72). Mir Hamza (3 wickets) delivered with the ball for KAR. After that, KAR chased down the PES total with 157/3 in 16.5 overs. Player of the Match: Mir Hamza.

June 24, PSL 2021, Final - Abu Dhabi

• PES: 170/7 (20 overs)
• KAR: 123/10 (18.2 overs) 
• Result: Peshawar Zalmi by 47 runs

PES scored 170/7 and bowled out KAR for 123. The PES bowling unit delivered during the chase. Player of the Match: PES bowler (name unavailable).

One of the most thrilling matches of the ongoing PSL 10 was staged last night at the Gaddafi Stadium. The 20-over match was reduced to 15 and concluded past midnight through ak-and-neck rivalry between Lahore Qalandars (LQ) and Karachi Kings (KK). Irfan Khan Niazi, the 22-year-old Karachi Kings cricketer, was the main man who decided the fate of the match. 

Toss and the first innings 

Keeping in mind the weather condition and probable wicket behavior, Karachi Kings skipper David Warner decided to bowl first. Lahore Qalandars went off to a flying start with their two openers, Fakhar Zaman and Muhammad Naeem, adding 90 runs in the first wicket. The departure of Zaman and Naeem left LQ in deep trouble, as they started to lose wickets at regular intervals. Karachi bowler Abbas Afridi took 4 wickets to shift the momentum towards his team. 

Second innings 

According to the DLS method, Karachi Kings had to chase a target of 168. Karachi Kings displayed a decent batting performance against the Shaheen Afridi-led team. KK was looking unable to make a high impact with their batting until Irfan Khan Niazi stepped into the middle of the park. His unbeaten 48 off 21 deliveries helped Karachi Kings to edge past the finish line. They scored the last 48 runs in 16 balls after an aggressive batting performance by the young batter. 

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Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings full match scorecard 

Lahore Qalandars-  160/8 (15 Overs)

Karachi Kings- 168/6 (14.3/15 Overs) DLS Method

PSL 2025 Match 24, Lahore Qalandars (LAH) vs Karachi Kings (KAR), at Gaddafi Stadium (Lahore), on May 4, 2025 at 8:00 PM PKT. This match, being held during the halfway point of the tournament (24/30), is critical to each team's playoff ambitions: LAH hoping for a home ground advantage while KAR trying to take advantage of their batting depth on a batting-friendly pitch.

Head-to-Head Record

Lahore Qalandars (LAH) and Karachi Kings (KAR) have faced off 20 times in the PSL since 2016, with KAR holding a significant lead:

• LAH Wins: 7
• KAR Wins: 13
• No Result/Tied: 0
• Win Percentage: KAR has a 65% win rate against LAH.

Historically, KAR has dominated this rivalry, having won 13 of 19 games against LAH prior to 2025, although LAH made a strong statement defeating them with a 65-run win in their last matchup (Match 6, April 15, 2025). At Gaddafi Stadium, the pitch is notorious for producing high-scoring matches that likely favor many explosive KAR batsmen, like David Warner and James Vince, but LAH's strong bowling lineup, led by Shaheen Afridi, and their use of swing will be key if they can manage some early movement.

Also Read: Top 3 reasons why Sunrisers Hyderabad Lost to Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025 Match 51

Noteworthy Showdowns Between LAH and KAR

The rivalry between LAH and KAR has delivered some memorable matches, with KAR being overwhelmingly dominant historically, but LAH seems to be on an uptick in recent match-ups. Here are the significant encounters:

PSL 2025, Match 6—April 15, Karachi (National Stadium)

• LAH: 201/6 (20 overs)
• KAR: 136/10 (19.1 overs)
• Result: Lahore Qalandars won by 65 runs

LAH posted 201/6, led by Fakhar Zaman's 76 runs from 45 balls and Daryl Mitchell's 75 runs from 41 balls, as LAH had a 139-run partnership. In KAR's chase, LAH's Shaheen Afridi (3/34) dismissed David Warner and James Vince in his first over, while Rishad Hossain (3/26) ripped through the middle order. Hasan Ali's 4/28 for KAR ended in vain, with the team bowled out for 136. Fakhar Zaman was named Player of the Match for his match-winning knock.

Also Read: IPL 2025: KKR vs RR Match 53 - A Head to Head breakdown

PSL 2024, Match 10—February 24, Lahore (Gaddafi Stadium)

• LAH: 175/6 (20 overs)
• KAR: 176/8 (20 overs)
• Result: Karachi Kings won by 2 wickets

LAH set 175/6, with Fakhar Zaman (29 runs off 21 balls) and Sikandar Raza (26 runs off 16 balls), but KAR chased it down on the last ball, led by Kieron Pollard's 58 runs off 33 balls and Shoaib Malik's cool. While Shaheen Afridi (1/30) and Zaman Khan (2/35) fought back, KAR's depth eventually prevailed. Pollard was Player of the Match for his match-winning knock.

PSL 2023, Match 30 (March 12, Lahore (Gaddafi Stadium))

• KAR: 196/7 (20) overs.
• LAH: 110/10 (18.5) overs.
• Winner: KAR by 86 runs.

Imad Wasim's 57* off 30 balls and Tayyab Tahir's 40 off 23 bullets powered KAR to 196/7 against LAH. LAH could only muster 110 runs in 18.5 overs, with only Fakhar Zaman's 39 off 34 balls putting up any resistance, as Tabraiz Shamsi (3/19) and Mohammad Amir (2/26) dismantled LAH's batting. Imad Wasim was declared Player of the Match for his all-round brilliance.

A massive win by Karachi Kings (KAR) over Multan Sultans (MS) in match 20 of PSL 10. James Vince again, with his heroic batting, became the best player of the match. Kings, defeated in their last match, came back strongly and got a win over MS by 87 runs. 

Toss and the first innings 

Karachi Kings won the toss in Gaddafi Stadium and decided to bat first. With their techniques and strong hitting abilities, Karachi, losing only 4 wickets, got 204 runs in the 20 overs limit. James Vince was the top scorer of the evening with an unbeaten 65*, well accompanied by Irfan Khan Niazi with a 40-run innings. Khushdil Shah's blistering 33 off 13 balls was the perfect garnish to decorate Karachi Kings' well-played innings. 

Second innings

Multan Sultans had no match for Kings in this match. Kings' bowlers utilized the surface properly and holated Sultans for 117 runs in 17.1 overs. Mohammad Nabi claimed three wickets in his four-over quota for only 14 runs. 

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Post-match reactions 

Mohammad Rizwan (Multan Sultans captain): "Now we're out of the tournament, which is fine; it made it easier for the other teams because the way we were playing cricket was tough. The other teams deserved to play in the playoffs/final."

David Warner (Karachi Kings captain): "Very, very proud of Irfan Khan Niazi. We told him to keep sticking to his game plan and keep playing with a positive attitude & mindset."

Karachi Kings vs Multan Sultans scorecard 

Karachi Kings- 204/4 (20 Overs)

Multan Sultans- 117/10 (16.1 Overs)

Multan Sultans (MUL) take on Karachi Kings (KAR) in Match 20 of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025 at Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan. MUL's power-packed batting, led by Mohammad Rizwan and Michael Bracewell, matches up against KAR's explosive batting lineup, captained by David Warner and James Vince. These two teams will also be playing on a good batting pitch that will be fruitful for lots of runs.

MUL has a narrow head-to-head edge, as they have won 7 times and lost to KAR 6 times in 15 matches.

Head Matches Between MUL and KAR

PSL 2025, Match 3 - April 12, Karachi

• Multan Sultans: 234/3 
• Karachi Kings: 236/6 
• Result: Karachi won by 4 wickets

MUL scored a huge 234, with Rizwan's 105* unbeaten and Bracewell's 44* taking charge, but KAR overhauled it in 19.2 overs, courtesy of Vince's 101 and Shah's 60 in a record 142-run partnership. Player of the Match: James Vince.

Also Read: PSL 2025: LAH vs QUE Match 21 - A Head to Head breakdown

PSL 2024, Match 19 - March 3, Karachi

• Multan Sultans: 189/5 
• Karachi Kings: 182/8 
• Result: Multan won by 7 runs

MUL set 189, led by Hendricks' 71 and Khan's 54, while KAR also came up short despite Masood's 60, thanks to Usama Mir's 3/28 being the difference-maker. Player of the Match: Usama Mir.

PSL 2023, Match 11 - February 22, Multan

• Multan Sultans: 196/5 (Mohammad Rizwan 75, Rilee Rossouw 54)
• Karachi Kings: 148/8 (Shoaib Malik 54, Imad Wasim 30)
• Result: Multan won by 48 runs

MUL scored 196, thanks to Rizwan's 75 and Rossouw's 54, as KAR could muster only 148, despite Malik's 54, due to Ihsanullah's 4/12, which sealed the deal. Player of the Match: Ihsanullah.

Top-order batting failure was not enough to stop Quetta Gladiators (QG) from defeating Karachi Kings (KAR) with the help of their bowling unit. Despite a small total of 142, Gladiators managed to win the PSL 10 match by a 5-run margin. 

Toss and the first innings 

Karachi Kings captain David Warner decided to field first after winning the toss. He was confident that his team would be able to chase down the target batting second, but that did not happen. Kings' bowlers did their part well by restricting QG to only 142 in 19.3 overs. Hasan Ali was the best bowler for KAR with 3 wickets. Faheem Ashraf, Quetta Gladiators' number seven batter, scored 43, and Kusal Mendis at number four got 36.

Second inning 

Despite losing captain David Warner in the first over, Karachi Kings was driving their innings smoothly by their two batters— Tim Seifert (47) and James Vince (30). Tim and James took their team score to 77; from here, the Quetta Gladiators started to get their momentum. Mohammad Amir, Khurram Shahzad, and Mohammad Wasim Jr. claimed 2 wickets each. Hasan Ali, at the lower batting order, tried his best and scored an unbeaten 27, but the run rate was then too slow to achieve the target in the 20-over limit. Abrar Ahmed wins the player of the match award for his economical bowling spell, which curved down the opposition's run rate. 

Read More: "CSK Ko Dho Daala! SRH Ne Kiya Zabardast Dabdaba" – Fans erupt as SRH crush CSK with a dominant all-round performance

Post-match reactions:

David Warner (Karachi Kings captain): "We will look at the positive; our bowlers did well by taking early wickets. I don't mind losing, but we handed over the win to the opposition. Quetta Gladiators didn't bowl well in particular, but our team was complacent in the middle phase. It was a 160-run wicket; we bowled well in the first innings to restrict the Quetta Gladiators.

Saud Shakeel (Quetta Gladiators captain): "Karachi Kings started well with the bat out. Players had the belief to win from any position. Fielders brought us into the game today. It was a 180-200 pitch, but we are losing quite a few wickets in the Powerplay."

Quetta Gladiators vs Karachi Kings  scorecard

Quetta Gladiators - 142/10 (19.3 Overs)

Karachi Kings - 137/8 (20 overs)

Match 15 of PSL 2025 sees Quetta Gladiators (QUE) take on Karachi Kings (KAR) at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on 25th April 2025. QUE have a balanced unit with Saud Shakeel captaining the squad! In contrast, KAR comes into this match with a strong batting attack based around David Warner, with plenty of experience on offer. The Gaddafi Stadium pitch is known for supporting batters, which could lead to a big score from both teams, and the excitement, in terms of this well-known rivalry, could lead to some class spirits in an entertaining encounter.

Head-to-Head Record

• Total Matches: 18
• Quetta Gladiators Wins: 12
• Karachi Kings Wins: 6
• No Result/Tied: 0

QUE has won 12 of the 18 PSL matches against KRK, a clear advantage overall against KAR. There is clearly a precedent for QUE winning this match, as QUE's bowlers, like Mohammad Amir and Abrar Ahmed, typically bowl well against an aggressive batting order, such as KAR's featured batting players, including James Vince and David Warner, leading to fiery rivalry match-ups—which are about to unfold!

Also Read: ' You're sheltering and nurturing terrorists' - Former Pakistan cricketer blames PM Shehbaz Sharif after Pahalgam attack

Famous Matches between QUE and KAR

PSL 2025, Match 8 – April 18, Karachi  

• Karachi Kings: 175/7
• Quetta Gladiators: 119/9  
• Result: Karachi won by 56 runs 

James Vince batted excellently, scoring 70, and carried the team and innings with the bat. Hasan Ali (3/27) and Nabi (2/7) bowled excellently to completely dismantle Quetta for 119. Saud Shakeel was the only resistance with a score of 33*. Player of the match was Vince.

PSL 2023, Match 6 – February 18, Karachi

• Quetta Gladiators: 168/7 
• Karachi Kings: 162/5  
• Result: Quetta won by 6 runs. 

Martin Guptill (86) and Sarfaraz set the tone for the win, while at the death, Hasnain and Naseem bowled tightly and controlled the game. Malik's 71* was not enough for Karachi. Player of the Match was Guptill.

PSL 2019, Match 28 – March 10, Karachi  

• Karachi Kings: 190/5
• Quetta Gladiators: 180/9  
• Result: Karachi won by 10 runs

Babar and Ingram led the charge for Karachi, while Nawaz (3/37) shut the door on Quetta's chase. Watson was the top scorer for Quetta. Player of the Match was Nawaz for his bowling.

Also Read: Cricket fraternity unites to slam Pahalgam attack – Powerful stand against terror

PSL 2018, Match 2 – February 23, Dubai

• Quetta Gladiators: 136/9
• Karachi Kings: 139/1 (17 overs)
• Result: Karachi won by 9 wickets 

Mohammad Amir (3/15) rocked the Quetta innings at the start as he ripped through their top order. This made the run chase easy for Karachi, who easily chased the total with Denly (55*) and Babar Azam (36*) steering the win. Player of the Match was Amir.

A highly exciting PSL 10, match 11 between Peshawar Zalmi (PES) and Karachi Kings (KAR). Neck-and-neck rivalry till the last over at the National Stadium, Karachi. Kings won the match only by 2 wickets and 3 balls left. 

Toss and the first innings 

Karachi Kings captain David Warner took the accurate decision to bowl first after winning the toss. Abbas Afridi and Khushdil Shah took a total of 6 wickets, 3 for each, which helped Karachi Kings to restrict Peshawar Zalmi to only 147 runs in the first innings. PES skipper Babar Azam played a solid knock today with 46 runs in 41 balls. Mohammad Haris in the middle order with 28 and Alzarri Joseph in the lower middle order with 24* helped their team to achieve a fightable total on the scoreboard. 

Second inning

David Warner, retired from international cricket, played a 60-run knock to offer his team, Karachi Kings, an extra edge to execute the hurdles set by Peshawar Zalmi. Luke Wood and Ali Raza claimed 3 and 2 scalps, respectively, which unstabilized KAR's entire top and middle-order batting line-up. The match took the most intense turn of the night when Khushdil Shah counterattacked with calculative risk. His unbeaten 23-run innings proves decisive for this match. 

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Post-match reactions 

Babar Azam (Peshawar Zalmi skipper): Our side fell short by a few runs. His dismissal came at a crucial time when the momentum was building. I want to remain positive about our bowling combination; it’s improving with each match. Once the team corrects its batting errors, better performances will follow."

David Warner (Karachi Kings captain): "I'm very happy for a hard-fought win. Our team played well, especially in the powerplay. Khushdil Shah made a crucial part for us. The pitch was challenging, with variable bounce. Restricting the opposition to under 150 was crucial. Abbas Afridi and Hasan Ali concealed our win. I'm pleased about our performance."

Peshawar Zalmi vs Karachi Kings match scorecard 

Peshawar Zalmi - 147/8 (20 Overs)

Karachi Kings - 148/8 (19.3 Overs)