Islamabad United, the most decorated team in Pakistan Super League history, is gearing up for another shot at the title during PSL X. The Sherus have assembled a squad that blends global firepower with multi-dimensional local stars—but also carries a few question marks heading into the new season.
Here is how things are shaping up for the defending champs.
Islamabad United picked up the likes of Matthew Short, Jason Holder, Ben Dwarshuis, and Riley Meredith in their squad for PSL X.
| Player | Category |
|---|---|
| Shadab Khan | Platinum |
| Naseem Shah | Platinum |
| Matthew Short | Platinum |
| Imad Wasim | Diamond |
| Azam Khan | Diamond |
| Jason Holder | Diamond |
| Haider Ali | Gold |
| Salman Ali Agha | Gold |
| Ben Dwarshuis | Gold |
| Colin Munro | Silver |
| Rumman Raees | Silver |
| Salman Irshad | Silver |
| Mohammad Nawaz | Silver |
| Andries Gous | Silver |
| Hunain Shah | Emerging |
| Saad Masood | Emerging |
| Riley Meredith | Supplementary |
| Muhammad Shahzad | Supplementary |
| Sahibzada Farhan | Supplementary |
| Rassie van der Dussen* | Supplementary |
| Alex Carey** | Supplementary |
*partially available
**partial replacement
At the heart of United’s batting plans are two of the most prolific T20 batters in the cricketing world right now. Platinum pick Matthew Short and supplementary choice Rassie van der Dussen add serious firepower to Islamabad’s batting line-up.
South African’s limited role in PSL X is sure to impact the team, as he was coming off one of the best PSL seasons ever by an overseas batter.
| Player | Season | Innings | Runs | Average | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rilee Rossouw | PSL 8 | 11 | 453 | 45.3 | 171.6 |
| Rassie van der Dussen | PSL 9 | 7 | 364 | 72.8 | 154.9 |
| Alex Hales | PSL 7 | 9 | 355 | 44.4 | 147.3 |
*Stats provided by Zaid Babar Khan
Meanwhile, Alex Hales’ loss could also hamper their batting plans. The English opener piled up 355 runs in PSL 7 at a 147.3 strike rate, but his lackluster campaign last year prompted a change up the order.
Islamabad United has countered van der Dussen’s loss for part of PSL X with the partial addition of Australian wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey, who impressed his peers during the 2025 Champions Trophy.
However, the concerning aspect for Islamabad could be his limited T20 experience. The Aussie has featured in only four T20 matches since 2024, with the highest score of 34 during that time, raising concerns over match readiness.
Islamabad United has always paid attention to players capable of occupying dual roles, and PSL X is no different. Skipper Shadab Khan and Imad Wasim are both in elite company. They are the only two players in PSL history to have crossed both the 1,000 runs and 50 wickets marks across the nine PSL seasons.
While Shadab remains central to United’s plans, there will be pressure on his bowling, given he owns the worst bowling average among spinners (30.6) with at least 50 wickets in T20 cricket since 2023.
| Player | Overs | Wickets | Bowling Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shadab Khan | 242.4 | 69 | 30.6 |
| Mujeeb ur Rahman | 213.1 | 53 | 29.3 |
| Maheesh Theekshana | 379.1 | 97 | 28.3 |
*Stats provided by Zaid Babar Khan
But it seems that Islamabad United is ready for that contingency, given the presence of Salman Ali Agha and Jason Holder in their squad. Holder, particularly, not only brings batting depth but also proven wicket-taking ability, which could be crucial in helping Islamabad United’s PSL X plans.
| Player | Runs | Batting Average | Strike Rate | Wickets | Bowling Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marco Jansen | 207 | 20.7 | 122.5 | 22 | 21.2 |
| Jason Holder | 138 | 27.6 | 184.0 | 17 | 19.9 |
| Jimmy Neesham | 106 | 13.3 | 123.3 | 15 | 14.3 |
*Stats provided by Zaid Babar Khan
Add Ben Dwarshuis and Mohammad Nawaz’s tonking ability into the mix, and the opposing bowlers will likely have sleepless nights.
One area of concern for United is the potential inconsistency of the local talent available to them. Mohammad Shahzad, Islamabad United’s supplementary pick, has struggled to score at a rapid clip, a crucial factor in the PSL for teams, but his exploits with the bat and ball in the recently concluded President’s Trophy makes him an asset to take a punt on.
However, they also added the best batter from the tournament to their ranks, which should only help their cause.
| Player | Innings | Runs | Batting Average | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammad Shahzad | 5 | 157 | 31.4 | 127.6 |
| Imran Butt | 7 | 252 | 63.0 | 127.9 |
| Kamran Ghulam | 5 | 165 | 82.5 | 132.0 |
| Matthew Short | Foreign |
| Colin Munro | Foreign |
| Salman Ali Agha | Local |
| Shadab Khan (c) | Local |
| Azam Khan (wk) | Local |
| Haider Ali | Local |
| Jason Holder | Foreign |
| Imad Wasim | Local |
| Naseem Shah | Local |
| Hunain Shah | Emerging |
| Riley Meredith | Foreign |
Islamabad United’s PSL X squad is stacked with experience, global T20 pedigree, and multi-skilled cricketers. But the margins are fine in a tournament as unforgiving as the PSL. For Shadab Khan’s side, success may hinge on balancing their explosive overseas core with greater consistency from the local contingent.
With a track record of aggressive cricket and tactical flexibility, Islamabad United is once again shaping up as genuine title contenders—provided they can iron out a few vulnerabilities before the crunch moments arrive.
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