Islamabad United facts for kids
| اسلام آباد یونائیٹڈ | |||
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| Nickname(s) |
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|---|---|---|---|
| League | Pakistan Super League | ||
| Personnel | |||
| Captain | Shadab Khan | ||
| Coach | Mike Hesson | ||
| Batting coach | Ashley Wright | ||
| Bowling coach | James Franklin | ||
| Owner | Leonine Global Sports Hum Network |
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| Manager | Rehan-ul-Haq | ||
| Team information | |||
| City | Islamabad, Pakistan | ||
| Founded | 2015 | ||
| Home ground | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 20,257 | ||
| History | |||
| PSL wins | 3 (2016, 2018, 2024) | ||
| Official website | islamabadunited.com | ||
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| 2024 Islamabad United season | |||
Islamabad United is a professional cricket team from Pakistan. They play in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which is a big Twenty20 cricket tournament. The team is based in Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan. It was started in 2015 for the very first PSL season.
The team is owned by Leonine Global Investments. Islamabad United has won the PSL title three times, making them the most successful team in the league's history. They won in 2016, 2018, and 2024.
Their home ground is the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The team's coach is Mike Hesson. Shadab Khan is the team captain, and he became the youngest captain in PSL history when he took on the role. Ashley Wright is the batting coach, and James Franklin is the bowling coach.
The player who has scored the most runs for the team is Colin Munro. The player who has taken the most wickets is Shadab Khan.
Contents
The Story of Islamabad United
In 2015, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that the first ever Pakistan Super League would happen in February 2016. It was held in the United Arab Emirates. On December 3, 2015, the PCB announced the owners of the five city-based teams. The Islamabad team was bought by Leonine Global Sports for 15 million US dollars.
Becoming Champions in 2016
| 2016 season | |||
| Coach | Dean Jones | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Captain | Misbah ul Haq | ||
| PSL 2016 | Champions | ||
| Most runs | Sharjeel Khan (299) | ||
| Most wickets | Andre Russell (16) | ||
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Islamabad United had a tough start in the 2016 Pakistan Super League. But they played well later and finished third in the group stage. This meant they qualified for the knockout rounds. They won four out of eight matches in the group stage.
In the first knockout match, they played against Karachi Kings. Islamabad United won by nine wickets. Mohammad Sami was amazing, taking five wickets for only eight runs. Brad Haddin and Dwayne Smith both scored half-centuries to help the team win easily.
Next, Islamabad United faced Peshawar Zalmi. Sharjeel Khan scored 117 runs from just 62 balls. This was the first century ever scored in the Pakistan Super League! Islamabad United scored 176 runs. Peshawar Zalmi was bowled out for 126 runs. United's spinner Imran Khalid took four wickets. This win sent Islamabad United to the final against Quetta Gladiators.
Islamabad United won the 2016 Pakistan Super League Final by six wickets. They chose to bowl first. Quetta Gladiators scored 174 runs. Andre Russell took three wickets. In response, Dwayne Smith scored 73 runs and Brad Haddin scored an unbeaten 61. Islamabad United reached the target with eight balls to spare, winning their first title!
The 2017 Season
| 2017 season | |||
| Coach | Dean Jones | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Captain | Misbah ul Haq | ||
| PSL 2017 | Eliminator | ||
| Most runs | Dwayne Smith (274) | ||
| Most wickets | Rumman Raees (18) | ||
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For the 2017 Pakistan Super League, Islamabad United kept most of their players. They added new players like Ben Duckett, Zohaib Khan, and Shadab Khan. Later, Steven Finn joined the team.
Islamabad United won their first game of the 2017 season against Peshawar Zalmi. But they lost their next game to Lahore Qalandars. When the tournament moved to Sharjah, United beat Quetta Gladiators. Sam Billings scored 78 runs in that match. However, they then lost to Karachi Kings.
United had a thrilling last-ball win against Peshawar Zalmi. Dwayne Smith scored 72 runs to help them chase down the target. After this, they lost a very close game to Lahore Qalandars by just one wicket. Shadab Khan scored 42 runs in that game.
Back in Dubai, United had another exciting win against Quetta Gladiators. They put up 166 runs. The Gladiators were close to winning, but United took many wickets at the end. They won by just one run! This win helped them get into the play-offs.
Just like in 2016, Islamabad United played against Karachi Kings in the eliminator match. Karachi scored 126 runs. Islamabad was expected to win easily. But Karachi's bowlers played incredibly well. Mohammad Amir, Imad Wasim, and Usama Mir each took three wickets. Islamabad United was bowled out for only 82 runs. This was their lowest score in the tournament at that time. So, the defending champions were knocked out.
Winning Again in 2018
| 2018 season | |||
| Coach | Dean Jones | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Captain | Misbah ul Haq | ||
| PSL 2018 | Champions | ||
| Most runs | Luke Ronchi (435) | ||
| Most wickets | Faheem Ashraf (18) | ||
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Islamabad United started their 2018 season with a loss to Peshawar Zalmi. They were chasing 176 runs but fell short. However, they bounced back in the next game against Multan Sultans, winning by five wickets. Hussain Talat scored 48 runs to help them chase a low target.
When the league moved to Sharjah, the team lost to Quetta Gladiators. Their key player, Rumman Raees, got injured. But in the next game, they had an amazing win against Lahore Qalandars. The match ended in a tie, so it went to a Super Over. Andre Russell hit a six on the last ball of the Super Over to win the game! In their next match, they beat Karachi Kings by 8 wickets. Luke Ronchi scored a quick 71 runs. This win meant they qualified for the final.
In the 2018 Pakistan Super League Final, Islamabad United played against Peshawar Zalmi again. Peshawar Zalmi batted first and scored 148 runs. Shadab Khan took three important wickets. Islamabad's Luke Ronchi started very fast, hitting five sixes in the first five overs! He scored 52 runs from just 26 balls. He and Sahibzada Farhan (who scored 44 runs) made a great start. But then, Islamabad lost six wickets quickly. With only one run needed, Faheem Ashraf hit a six to win the match. Islamabad United became champions for the second time!
The 2019 Season
| 2019 season | |||
| Coach | Dean Jones | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Captain | Mohammad Sami (9 matches) Shadab Khan (3 matches) |
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| PSL 2019 | Eliminator 2 | ||
| Most runs | Cameron Delport (355) | ||
| Most wickets | Faheem Ashraf (21) | ||
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Islamabad United won their first match of the 2019 season against Lahore Qalandars. They chased down 171 runs. But then they lost their next two games. In a match against Peshawar Zalmi, Islamabad United scored 158 runs. Zalmi were struggling, but Kieron Pollard and Darren Sammy played well. In the end, Islamabad won by 12 runs. Captain Mohammad Sami took a hat-trick in the last over!
When Captain Mohammad Sami was injured, young Shadab Khan led the team for the first time. United beat Karachi Kings easily, thanks to Luke Ronchi's 67 runs. They lost their next match to Multan Sultans. However, they won their next game against Kings again. Kings were looking to score over 200 runs, but United's bowlers, especially Faheem Ashraf and Rumman Raees, bowled very well at the end. Asif Ali then hit 70 runs from 38 balls to help United chase the target with four balls to spare.
Recent Seasons: 2020-2024
| 2020 season | |||
| Coach | Misbah-ul-Haq | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Captain | Shadab Khan | ||
| PSL 2020 | 6th (eliminated) | ||
| Most runs | Luke Ronchi (247) | ||
| Most wickets | Shadab Khan (8) | ||
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| 2021 season | |||
| Coach | Johan Botha | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Captain | Shadab Khan | ||
| Tournament performance | Play-offs (3rd) | ||
| League performance | 1st | ||
| Most runs | Colin Munro (285) | ||
| Most wickets | Hasan Ali (13) | ||
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| 2022 season | |
| Coach | Azhar Mahmood |
|---|---|
| Captain | Shadab Khan |
| PSL 2022 | Play-offs (3rd) |
| Most runs | Alex Hales (355) |
| Most wickets | Shadab Khan (19) |
Before the 2020 season, Misbah-ul-Haq, who was also Pakistan's national team coach, became Islamabad United's head coach. Shadab Khan was named the captain, becoming the youngest captain in PSL history.
In 2021, Johan Botha became the coach. Islamabad United finished first in the league stage but were knocked out in the play-offs, finishing third overall.
In 2022, Azhar Mahmood took over as coach. The team again reached the play-offs and finished third.
Islamabad United continued to compete strongly in 2023 and then won their third title in the 2024 season.
Team Look and Feel
The team's logo and name were shown on December 22, 2015. The logo has a lion, which represents strength. The team's main colors are red, orange, and a light brown.
Famous people have been ambassadors for the team. Fawad Khan was a star ambassador from 2016 to 2018. Ali Zafar was an ambassador in 2016. The team also works on important social causes. Momina Mustehsan joined in 2017 as their "Empowerment Champion."
The team's first song was "Chakka Choka" sung by Ali Zafar. In 2017, new songs were released: "Cricket Jorray Pakistan" by Momina Mustehsan and "Kitna Rola Daalay Ga" by Abdullah Qureshi.
Many companies have sponsored Islamabad United over the years. Dostea was a main sponsor in 2016. Other partners have included WWF Pakistan, JS Bank, Q Mobile, PTCL, and Dunya News.
For the 2019 Pakistan Super League, the team changed their kit design. The new kit used more red and less gold than before.
| Year | Shirt sponsor (chest) | Shirt sponsor (back) | Chest branding | Sleeve branding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Dostea | Dunya News | Dostea | |
| 2017 | Q Mobile | PTCL | JS Bank | Dunya News |
| 2018 | Gwadar Golf City | Tang | Samaa News, G.F.C, Dairy Milk | |
| 2019 | Bisconni | Fast cables | Samaa, Tetra Pak, Sprite | |
| 2020 | Dastak | Express News, FM 101 | ||
| 2021 | Sabroso | Ufone | ZEM Builders, Snack Video, Tetra Pak | |
| 2022 | jomo.pk | DCODE, Tetra Pak, foodpanda | ||
| 2023 | Ufone | MOCCA, Tetra Pak, foodpanda | ||
| 2024 | Foodpanda | Tim Hortons | Tetra Pak, Hum News, TCL | |
Meet the Current Squad
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| No. | Name | Nationality | Birth date | Category | Batting style | Bowling style | Year signed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batsmen | ||||||||
| 10 | Alex Hales |  England |
3 January 1989 | Gold | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | 2021 | |
| 18 | Shamyl Hussain |  Pakistan |
10 October 2004 | Supplementary | Left-handed | — | 2024 | |
| 31 | Martin Guptill |  New Zealand |
30 September 1986 | N/A | Right-handed | Right-arm off-break | 2024 | Full replacement for Muhammad Waseem |
| 46 | Haider Ali | Pakistan |
2 October 2000 | Supplementary | Right-handed | — | 2024 | |
| 82 | Colin Munro | New Zealand |
11 March 1987 | Gold | Left-handed | Right-arm medium-fast | 2020 | |
| Muhammad Waseem |  United Arab Emirates |
12 February 1994 | N/A | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | 2024 | Full replacement for Tom Curran | |
| All-rounders | ||||||||
| 5 | Matthew Forde |  West Indies |
29 April 2002 | Silver | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | 2024 | |
| 7 | Shadab Khan | Pakistan |
4 October 1998 | Platinum | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break | 2017 | Captain |
| 9 | Imad Wasim | Pakistan |
18 December 1988 | Diamond | Left-handed | Left-arm orthodox | 2024 | |
| 41 | Faheem Ashraf | Pakistan |
16 January 1994 | Gold | Left-handed | Right-arm fast-medium | 2018 | |
| 49 | Qasim Akram | Pakistan |
1 December 2002 | Silver | Right-handed | Right-arm off-break | 2024 | |
| 59 | Tom Curran | England |
15 March 1995 | Supplementary | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium | 2023 | |
| 67 | Salman Ali Agha | Pakistan |
23 November 1993 | Silver | Right-handed | Right-arm off-break | 2024 | |
| 98 | Shahab Khan | Pakistan |
Silver | Left-handed | Left-arm medium-fast | 2024 | ||
| Wicket-keepers | ||||||||
| 22 | Jordan Cox | England |
21 October 2000 | Platinum | Right-handed | Right-arm off-break | 2024 | |
| 23 | Azam Khan | Pakistan |
10 August 1998 | Diamond | Right-handed | — | 2022 | |
| Bowlers | ||||||||
| 11 | Rumman Raees | Pakistan |
18 October 1991 | Silver | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium | 2023 | |
| 13 | Ubaid Shah | Pakistan |
5 February 2006 | Emerging | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast | 2024 | |
| 56 | Tymal Mills | England |
12 August 1992 | Diamond | Right-handed | Left-arm fast | 2023 | |
| 68 | Obed McCoy | West Indies |
4 January 1997 | Supplementary | Left-handed | Left-arm fast-medium | 2024 | |
| 71 | Naseem Shah | Pakistan |
15 February 2003 | Platinum | Right-handed | Right-arm fast | 2024 | |
| 72 | Hunain Shah | Pakistan |
4 February 2004 | Emerging | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium | 2024 | |
- Source: ESPNcricinfo
Team Leaders and Coaches
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager | Rehan-ul-Haq |
| Head coach | Mike Hesson |
| Batting coach | Ashley Wright |
| Bowling coach | Azhar Mahmood |
| Performance coach | Hanif Malik |
| Analyst | Ben Jones |
| Team doctor | Jason Pilgram |
- Source: Official website: https://www.islamabadunited.com/staff/azhar-mahmood/ .
Who Has Captained the Team?
| Name | From | To | Mat | Won | Lost | Tie&W | Tie&L | NR | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Misbah-ul-Haq | 2016 | 2018 | 26 | 15 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 57.69 |
| Shane Watson | 2016 | 2016 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Rumman Raees | 2018 | 2018 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| JP Duminy | 2018 | 2018 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Mohammad Sami | 2019 | 2019 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44.44 |
| Shadab Khan | 2019 | present | 55 | 31 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 56.36 |
| Usman Khawaja | 2021 | 2021 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Asif Ali | 2022 | 2022 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
- Source: ESPNcricinfo
Team Performance Over the Years
Islamabad United's PSL Journey
| Year | Pld | Won | Lost | Tie&W | Tie&L | NR | SR (%) | Position | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63.63 | 1/5 | Champions |
| 2017 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44.44 | 4/5 | Play-offs (4th) |
| 2018 | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 75.00 | 1/6 | Champions |
| 2019 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 | 3/6 | Play-offs (3rd) |
| 2020 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27.27 | 6/6 | League Stage |
| 2021 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 66.66 | 3/6 | Play-offs (3rd) |
| 2022 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41.66 | 4/6 | Play-offs (3rd) |
| 2023 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 54.55 | 3/6 | Play-offs (4th) |
| 2024 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 66.66 | 3/6 | Champions |
| Total | 100 | 55 | 44 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 55.00 | 2 Titles |
- Tie+W means matches tied but then won in a tiebreaker (like a "Super Over").
- Tie+L means matches tied but then lost in a tiebreaker.
- The success rate does not count matches with no result.
Source: ESPNcricinfo, Last updated: 26 March 2024
How Islamabad United Plays Against Other Teams
| Opposition | Span | Mat | Won | Lost | Tie&W | Tie&L | NR | SR (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karachi Kings | 2016–present | 22 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 72.72 |
| Lahore Qalandars | 2016–present | 19 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 47.36 |
| Multan Sultans | 2018–present | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Peshawar Zalmi | 2016–present | 24 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Quetta Gladiators | 2016–present | 19 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52.63 |
Source: ESPNcricinfo, Last updated: 26 March 2024
Player Records
Top Run Scorers
| Player | Years | Innings | Runs | High score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colin Munro | 2020–present | 39 | 1,322 | 90* |
| Shadab Khan | 2017–present | 70 | 1,240 | 91 |
| Asif Ali | 2016–2023 | 66 | 1,130 | 75 |
| Luke Ronchi | 2018–2020 | 31 | 1,020 | 94* |
| Alex Hales | 2018–2019; 2021–present | 35 | 908 | 82* |
- Source: ESPNcricinfo
Top Wicket Takers
| Player | Years | Innings | Wickets | Best bowling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shadab Khan | 2017–present | 83 | 91 | 5/28 |
| Faheem Ashraf | 2018–present | 70 | 78 | 6/19 |
| Rumman Raees | 2016–2020; 2023–present | 42 | 45 | 4/25 |
| Mohammad Sami | 2016–2019 | 36 | 42 | 5/8 |
| Hasan Ali | 2021–2023 | 27 | 35 | 3/30 |
- Source: ESPNcricinfo
Images for kids
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Islamabad United team logo
