Karachi vs Islamabad Live: Head-to-Head Record, Key Battles & Venues

Karachi vs Islamabad — the Kings against United — is the PSL fixture with the most lopsided record among the league’s major rivalries. This deep dive covers every meeting, the venue splits, the matches that defined it and what Karachi must change to finally turn the tables.

The Numbers: 25 Matches

The head-to-head through PSL 11: 25 matches, Islamabad United 19 wins, Karachi Kings 6 wins. The extremes: United’s highest total 251, Kings’ best 201; lowest totals 82 (United) and 75 (Kings). The toss has barely mattered — United have won electing to bat and to field. Karachi batters have registered a century in this fixture; no Islamabad batter had done so against the Kings through PSL 11, a quirk in an otherwise United-dominated ledger. See the full table in our United vs Kings rivalry hub.

Matches That Defined the Rivalry

2016 — the tone-setter: United won all three meetings in the inaugural season, including a 9-wicket rout and a 2-run thriller, on their way to the first PSL title. 2017 — Karachi’s reply: the Kings took three of four, their best-ever return in the fixture. 2020 — the golden year: Karachi beat United twice and lifted their only PSL title; it remains their last win in this fixture. 2022 — the 1-run classic: United edged home by a single run in one of the PSL’s great finishes. 2025–26 — the modern era: a 79-run United win in PSL 10, then an 8-wicket win in PSL 11 after bowling Karachi out cheaply at the National Bank Stadium.

The Venue Split

The strangest stat in the rivalry is Karachi’s home record: at the National Stadium, Karachi, the Kings have won just 1 of 8 meetings. At Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, United’s home, it is 3–1 to United from 4 games. The remaining clashes came at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, and the UAE venues of the early seasons. In short: United win in Karachi, in Rawalpindi and everywhere else. For Karachi fans, the venue that should be a fortress has been the scene of the heaviest defeats.

What Karachi Must Fix

The pattern of defeat is consistent: Karachi’s batting collapses against United’s varied spin attack in the middle overs, and their bowlers cannot contain United’s powerplay hitting. Breaking the hoodoo needs what Moeen Ali’s PSL 11 side lacked — sustained partnerships through overs 7–15 and a new-ball plan for United’s openers. Until Karachi solve the middle overs, the 19–6 ledger will keep growing. Follow the next chapter through our live scores guide and PSL 12 dates (March–May 2027).

Frequently asked questions

What is the head-to-head record between Karachi Kings and Islamabad United?

25 PSL matches: Islamabad United 19 wins, Karachi Kings 6 wins (through PSL 11, April 2026). No tied games.

Has Karachi Kings ever beaten Islamabad United in Karachi?

Only once in eight attempts at the National Stadium, Karachi — United have won the other seven meetings there.

Who won the last Karachi vs Islamabad PSL match?

Islamabad United won the most recent meeting, by 8 wickets in PSL 11 (April 2026) at the National Bank Stadium, Karachi, after winning the toss and electing to bowl.