United’s strategy is to use foreign players to fill their top team, and this time they have tried to add more depth by considering who is available at which point in the tournament. Islamabad United has always relied on its side of batting, which enables them to play aggressive cricket. Like Luke Ronchi did for them in the past, Paul Sterling and Alex Hales form an explosive duo at the top to attack the opposition from the start.
They have Azam Khan and Asif Ali, one of the best hitters in world cricket, in their ranks if their opening pair wasn’t explosive enough. Hassan Nawaz, their emerging pick, is the most exciting addition to their team. With his classy knocks in the most recent Kashmir Premier League, he has already gained quite a following.
All-rounders Faheem Ashraf, Tom Curran, and Gus Atkinson are among the fast bowlers who can also bat. At various points in their careers, Hasan Ali and Mohammad Wasim Jr. have also demonstrated their power with the bat. As a result, they have batsmen who can bat to number 10, which is ideal for their style of cricket.
Bowling Strength
Shadab Khan’s versatility as an all-rounder will be crucial for United this season. Shadab was particularly good with the ball at the T20 World Cup the year before, and he now has a good partner in Abrar Ahmed. Since the start of the season, Abrar has been in great form. He took the most wickets in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, which ultimately earned him a spot in Pakistan’s Test squad. In the shortest form of the game, Abrar would want to continue his strong form and team up with his captain to form a dangerous spin duo.
They also have Moeen Ali, Mubasir Khan, and Zafar Gohar in the spin all-around depth who are able to provide solid support. In terms of fast bowling, United has a promising young talent in Zeeshan Zameer. He only bowled 15 balls in the previous tournament, but he made an impression when he troubled Babar Azam and took his wicket.
They might be a little worried about Hasan Ali’s form, but they have good backups in Wasim Jnr. and Faheem Ashraf, who have done well in the Bangladesh Premier League and Big Bash League, respectively, recently. They have brought back their reliable and experienced pacer Rumman Raees to cover the left-arm fast bowling. He can take the place of Fazal-e-Haq Farooqi, who is unavailable for the first few matches. Toward the end, they have the services of experienced English pacer Tymal Mills.
Islamabad United Matches
- February 16: Karachi Kings v Islamabad United at National Bank Cricket Arena, Karachi
- February 19: Multan Sultans v Islamabad United at Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan
- February 23: Peshawar Zalmi v Islamabad United at National Bank Cricket Arena, Karachi
- February 24: Quetta Gladiators v Islamabad United at National Bank Cricket Arena, Karachi
- February 27: Lahore Qalandars v Islamabad United at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
- March 3: Islamabad United v Karachi Kings at Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
- March 5: Islamabad United v Quetta Gladiators at Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
- March 7: Islamabad United v Multan Sultans at Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
- March 9: Islamabad United v Multan Sultans at Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
- March 12: Islamabad United v Peshawar Zalmi at Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
Players Name and Eleven Side
Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Colin Munro, Paul Stirling, Alex Hales, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abrar Ahmed, Sohaib Maqsood, Rumman Raees, Zeeshan Zamir, Hassan Nawaz, Moeen Ali (available from March 14), Mubasir Khan, Tom Curran, Zafar Gohar, Gus Atkinson (partial replacement for Rahmanullah Gurbaz), Tymal Mills (partial replacement for Alex Hales), Rassie van der Dussen (partial replacement for Moeen Ali)
Eleven Side:
- Alex Hales
- Paul Stirling
- Rassie van der Dussen
- Shadab Khan (c)
- Azam Khan
- Asif Ali
- Wasim Jr
- Faheem Ashraf
- Tom Curran
- Hasan Ali
- Zeeshan Zameer
A Comprehensive Look at Their Batting and Bowling Strengths
Islamabad United, one of the most successful franchises in the Pakistan Super League, is back with a bang in the upcoming edition of the tournament. With two titles already under their belt, they will be looking to add another one to their trophy cabinet. Islamabad United is known for their aggressive style of cricket, relying heavily on their strong batting and bowling lineups. Let’s take a closer look at their strengths in both departments.
Islamabad United’s strategy has always been to use foreign players to fill their top team, and they have done so again this year. The explosive duo of Paul Sterling and Alex Hales will be opening the innings for them, hoping to attack the opposition from the start. They have Azam Khan and Asif Ali, two of the best hitters in world cricket, in their ranks if their opening pair wasn’t explosive enough. Their emerging pick, Hassan Nawaz, is the most exciting addition to their team. With his classy knocks in the most recent Kashmir Premier League, he has already gained quite a following.
Islamabad United has always relied on their batting strength to play aggressive cricket. Like Luke Ronchi did for them in the past, they have found another explosive opening pair in Sterling and Hales. Sterling is a hard-hitting Irish batsman who is renowned for his T20 prowess. He has scored 2,475 runs in 120 T20 matches at a strike rate of 139.71. His opening partner, Hales, is a seasoned campaigner in T20 cricket, with over 7,000 runs in 304 matches at a strike rate of 142.47.
Their middle order is equally strong, with Asif Ali and Azam Khan providing the much-needed firepower. Asif Ali has been one of the best hitters in world cricket over the past few years. He has scored 1,705 runs in 99 T20 matches at a strike rate of 158.67. He is known for his ability to hit sixes at will, which makes him a dangerous player in the shorter format of the game. Azam Khan, the son of former Pakistan cricketer Moin Khan, is a hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batsman who has been making waves in domestic cricket over the past few years. He has scored 737 runs in 32 T20 matches at a strike rate of 149.48.
Hassan Nawaz, their emerging pick, is a talented young batsman who has already impressed in the domestic circuit. He has been in terrific form recently, scoring 160 runs in the Kashmir Premier League at a strike rate of 165.05. He has the potential to be a future star for Pakistan and could make a big impact in the upcoming PSL.
All-rounders Faheem Ashraf, Tom Curran, and Gus Atkinson are among the fast bowlers who can also bat. They provide depth to the batting lineup and can be handy with the bat lower down the order. At various points in their careers, Hasan Ali and Mohammad Wasim Jr. have also demonstrated their power with the bat. As a result, they have batsmen who can bat to number 10, which is ideal for their style of cricket.
Islamabad United has a well-balanced bowling lineup that has the potential to trouble any opposition. Shadab Khan, their captain, is a versatile all-rounder who will be crucial for them this season. Shadab was particularly good with the ball at the T20 World Cup the year before, and he now has a good partner in Abrar Ahmed. Since the start of the season, Abrar has been in great form.