Islamabad United vs Karachi Kings: PSL 2019, Eliminator-1, Preview

The Eliminator-1 in the fourth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is being played between Islamabad United and Karachi Kings at the National Stadium, Karachi on Thursday (March 14).

Match starts at 07:00 pm, watch PSL Live Streaming here

Defending champions Islamabad United are placed third and Karachi Kings fourth on the points table at the end of the league round.

Both teams secured 10 points each but the United were one place above the Kings due to better net run rate.

Now both are contesting in the final round in a bid to play the eliminator-2 which may lead them towards the final.

Both had clashed with each other twice in the league rounds and Islamabad United defeated Karachi Kings on both occasions – first they won by seven wickets in Sharjah on February 23, and later won by five wickets in Dubai on February 27.

Despite the losses, Karachi Kings have high hopes to emerge victorious as they have a balanced side and also they are playing on their home ground. They were placed fourth in PSL-2016 and third in PSL-2017 and PSL-2018.

On the other hand, Islamabad United won the PSL trophy on two occasions – in 2016 and 2018 whereas they were placed fourth in 2017. They are now hoping to retain the title.

Their highest total in PSL - 2019 is 238/3, which they made against Lahore Qalandars at Karachi on March 9. This is also the highest by any team in the tournament.

The highest total by Karachi Kings is 190/5 (vs Quetta Gladiators at Karachi on March 10.

Colin Ingram is the highest run-getter for Karachi Kings and also the second highest in the tournament with 321 runs at an average of 35.66. He scored one hundred and one fifty.

For Islamabad United, the highest run-scorer is Luke Ronchi, who made 297 runs (ave 33.00) with three half-centuries. He is the third-highest scorer in the tournament.

The highest wicket-taker for Islambad United is pacer Faheem Ashraf, who has taken 19 wickets at an average of 13.36 with one four-wicket haul. He is the second highest wicket-taker in the tournament. His 6/19 are the best bowling figures in PSL4.

The 19-year-old left-arm spinner Umer Khan has claimed the most wickets for Karachi Kings. He took 13 wickets at an average of 17.38.

Squads

Islamabad United: Mohammad Sami (captain), Sahibzada Farhan, Luke Ronchi, Cameron Delport, Hussain Talat, Waqas Maqsood, Asif Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Rizwan Hussain, Chadwick Walton, Philip Salt, Shadab Khan, SR Patel, Ian Bell, Samit Patel, Gunman Raees, Muhammad Musa, Wayne Parnell.

Karachi Kings: Imad Wasim (captain), Babar Azam, Liam Livingstone, Colin Ingram, Colin Munro, Sikandar Raza, Mohammad Rizwan, Sohail Khan, Mohammad Amir, Usman Shinwari, Umar Khan, Aamer Yamin Ben Dunk, Iftikhar Ahmed, Usama Mir, Ali Imran, Awais Zia.