Introduction
Although the rivalry between the Lahore Qalandars and the Karachi Kings is widely acknowledged as the fiercest in the PSL, in part because of the long standing enmity between two of Pakistan’s greatest cities, some of the meetings between the other franchises are not far behind.
The clashes between Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators are one example of this, with some civic rivalry involved because of the inherent differences between a capital city and a regional centre.
Islamabad United have enjoyed more success. They have won the PSL three times, whilst the Gladiators only triumph was back in 2019. And they also have had the better of things when the two have met in play-off games, even if the Gladiators have the better head to head record.
These two teams featured in the first ever PSL match which was played on the 4th February, 2016 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The Gladiators won that game by eight wickets.
Islamabad United
Like the Gladiators, United were one of the founder members of the PSL. The franchise for the city of Islamabad was sold in 2015 to Leonine Global Investments through its sports’ arm, Leonine Sports which is jointly owned by Amna and Ali Naqvi. They play their home matches at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, and their primary team colours are red, orange and light blue.
Their logo has a distinctive shield shape, and predominantly consists of shades of green suggesting vitality and connection to the sport of cricket, whilst the white star in the centre is meant to convey excellence and aspiration. The smaller yellow stars surrounding it represent achievement and prestige.
Islamabad United, along with the Lahore Qalandars, are the joint most successful team in the history of the PSL. They won the title in the inaugural year, where the team they beat in the final was the Quetta Gladiators.
They reached the play-offs again the following year, before claiming their second title in 2018, this time defeating Peshawar Zalmi in the final. Although they only once failed to make the playoffs once in the years that followed, they had to wait until 2024 before claiming their third title, this time the Multan Sultans finishing runners-up.
They began the defence of their title strongly in 2025, and won their first five games, before a sudden loss of form undermined their season, and they lost four games on the spin.
Victory in their final group game over the Karachi Kings was enough to earn them a place in the Qualifier, but they lost to the Gladiators by 30 runs. They then faced the eventual winners, the Qalandars in the Second Eliminator, and lost that match as well, thrashed by 95 runs.
Profile
United are renowned for having a balanced squad, and tactical acumen, and they have been consistent playoff contenders over the years. Known for an aggressive approach to games, the team’s strategy is based around having a strong top order, with Colin Munro a present exemplar of this. They also prefer to have several strong all-rounders in the side, whilst, in terms of bowling, they like to have a combination of spin and pace in their attack. They also have developed a reputation for identifying and developing the best Pakistani young talent.
United supporters can be found not only in Pakistan – they are one of the PSL franchises that boast a global fan base.
Fun facts:
United player Sharjeel Khan was the first player to hit a PSL century.
He made 117 runs off 62 balls against the Peshawar Zalmi in Dubai on 21st February 2016.
When Shadab Khan was named captain ahead of the 2020 season, he became the youngest skipper in PSL history.
The Quetta Gladiators
The Gladiators represent the city of Quetta, the fifth largest in Pakistan, and which is located in the province of Baluchistan, the least population region in the country.
However, although they continue to be nominally based in Quetta, they play most of their home games at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, which they share with the local team, the Qalandars. This decision is logistical – Quetta lacks a suitable stadium capable of hosting PSL matches, with the Bugti Stadium there now old and in need of repair. There is also a greater natural support base in Lahore.
The team’s coat of arms depicts an ancient Roman helmet traditionally worn by gladiators – hence the name of the franchise – and their signature colours are purple and gold. One of the original founders of the league, they were established in 2015, and the franchise was bought for US $11 million by the Karachi-based company Omar Associates.
They began the PSL strongly. They were runners-up in the first two years, losing in the final to Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi. They made the playoffs in 2018 before finally getting their hands on the trophy in 2019, when they defeated Zalmi in the final.
Four successive exits at the league stage followed, before they reached the playoffs in 2024. However, when they topped the group in 2025, and then beat Islamabad United in the Qualifier game in 2025 their fans long wait for a second trophy seemed about to end, only to be stunned by the Lahore Qalandars. They needed 57 runs to win off the last 20 balls but still won the match off the penultimate ball.
Profile
The Gladiators have become known for their star-studded squads and fighting spirit, and, in the early years of the PSL, the “Purple Force” as they are known, were one of the strongest teams in the league. In particular, they have traditionally enjoyed a strong pace bowling attack, with players like Mohammad Wasim and Khurram Shahzad, boosted by foreign imports like Kyle Jamieson.
And they also have a large and passionate fan base throughout Pakistan.
Fun facts:
Hasan Nawaz holds the record for the most sixes struck in an innings by a Gladiators batter, managing nine against United earlier this year. That came in the same match where both he and Rilee Rossouw hit centuries as they compiled the highest ever PSL score ever.
Rossouw is also only one of three players in the history of the tournament to have hit three centuries.
Head to head – Islamabad United v Quetta Gladiators
| Year | Tournament | Matches | United wins | Gladiator wins | No result |
| 2016 | PSL 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2017 | PSL 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | PSL 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2019 | PSL 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2020 | PSL 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2021 | PSL 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | PSL 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | PSL 8 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | PSL 9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | PSL 10 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Total | 23 | 10 | 12 | 1 |
Summary:
The Gladiators have enjoyed a slight edge over the Islamabad United over the years, although fans of United might argue their side tends to come out on top when it really matters.
How the head to head records compare against other franchises
Islamabad United
| Opposition | Years | Matches | Wins | Tie/NR | Success Rate % |
| Karachi Kings | 2016 – present | 22 | 16 | 0 | 72.72 |
| Lahore Qalandars | 2016 – present | 19 | 9 | 1 | 47.36 |
| Multan Sultans | 2018 – present | 24 | 12 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Peshawar Zalmi | 2016 – present | 19 | 10 | 0 | 52.63 |
(NR = No Result)
Comment:
United’s record against the Gladiators is in line with how they have performed against the Qalandars over the years. However, they have a better record against the other three teams, which may indicate that the Gladiators are something of a bogey side as far as they are concerned.
Quetta Gladiators
| Opposition | Years | Matches | Wins | NR | Success Rate % |
| Karachi Kings | 2016 – present | 18 | 12 | 0 | 66.66 |
| Lahore Qalandars | 2016 – present | 18 | 8 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Multan Sultans | 2018 – present | 18 | 4 | 1 | 30.76 |
| Peshawar Zalmi | 2016 – present | 24 | 10 | 1 | 41.66 |
Comment:
The Gladiators win rate against United compares favourably to their record against the Qalandars, the Sultans and Zalmi. The only franchise they have a better record against are the Karachi Kings.
Play-off meetings between the pair
The 2016 Final
The pair met in the inaugural final which took place on 23rd February in Dubai. The Gladiators were entitled to feel confident coming into the final. They had won both of the group matches between the pair, and having finished second in the table behind Peshawar Zalmi, had then beaten them in the Qualifier to progress straight through to the final.
United, meanwhile, having finished third, first needed to beat the Karachi Kings in the first Eliminator and then Zalmi in the Second Eliminator to book their own final spot.
However, they managed to reverse their fortunes in the final itself where they won the toss and invited the Gladiators to bat first. The Gladiators lost opener Bismillah Khan to the third ball of their innings without scoring, but Ahmed Shehzan supported first by Kevin Pietersen and then by Kumar Sangakkara, helped them recover, although the United bowlers did manage to restrict the score to 174/7 in the end.
United made a fast start to their reply, with Dwayne Smith and Sharjeel Khan taking full advantage of the Powerplay overs. Smith went on to make 73, whilst Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, who came in at number 3, hit an unbeaten 61 off 39 balls, and helped his side into a winning position. They reached their target with eight balls and six wickets in hand.
2024 First Eliminator
It would be another eight years before the two teams met in the playoffs again, this time in the First Eliminator game in 2024. It was their third meeting of the season, with each time having won one of their previous encounters.
Although they both had finished the regular season with the same number of points, United claimed third spot courtesy of a superior Net Run Rate. Unfortunately for the Gladiators, this proved to be a one-sided match.
Islamabad United, winning the toss and batting first made 174/9 from their 20 overs, with New Zealand opener Martin Guptill top scoring for them with 56, whilst their middle order all made useful contributions.
The Gladiators made a terrible start to their reply, slumping to 16/5, before Omair Yousef mounted a partial recovery with a half century. However, they were still bowled out for 135 in the penultimate over, losing by 39 runs in the end.
Imad Wasim, the United captain, finished with figures of 3 – 12 from his four overs and walked away with Player of the Match honours.
Islamabad United went on to reach the final, beating the Multan Sultans to lift the trophy for the third time.
2025 Qualifier
The Gladiators finally won a playoff game between the two franchises when they met in the 2025 Qualifier game. The Gladiators had topped the regular season table, losing just two of their ten games.
Meanwhile, United, who had started the season strongly but then had seen their form tail off just edged out the Karachi Kings for second place because of their superior net run rate.
Gladiators had won their two league games, and they made it three out of three with a comfortable victory this time. Batting first, they made 209/6 from their 20 overs, with Dinesh Chandimal, batting at number six, making an unbeaten 48 for them.
Led by opener Sahibzada Farhan, who would end the tournament as the leading run scorer in PSL10, United made a strong start to their reply, and at 101/2 seemed in control of their run chase. But the loss of Farhan caused the innings to stutter, and the last six wickets fell for the addition of just 48 runs.
Usman Tariq took 3 – 32, and there were also two wickets each for Mohammad Amir, Faheem Ashraf, and Mohammad Wasim.
United would be then heavily beaten by the Lahore Qalandars in the Second Eliminator game, who would meet the Gladiators in the final. That would end in disappointment for those supporting the Quetta franchise.
Top run scorers
Islamabad United
The highest run scorer in Islamabad United’s history is the New Zealander Colin Munro, who, in 39 matches between 2020 and the present day has scored 1,322 runs for them. His highest score is 90 not out.
Munro has also scored more runs against the Gladiators than any other United player, having notched up 292 runs in his appearances against them. And his average of 146 is also the best of any player to have appeared in this fixture.
He is followed by Shadab Khan, a virtual ever present since 2017, He has scored 1,240 runs for them in 70 matches, followed by Asif Ali, who has spent the same number of years at the franchise but played four fewer games. His aggregate number of runs is 1,130.
Fourth on their all-time list is Luke Ranchi, who only played three seasons for them between 2018 and 2020, but still left an indelible impression on the league. Not only did he score 1,020 runs for them, but he still holds the record for the highest strike rate of any player in league history (166.12).
Quetta Gladiators
The highest run scorer for the Quetta Gladiators has been Sarfaraz Ahmed, who played 73 innings for them between 2016 and 2024, finishing with 1,525 runs before his retirement. During that period, he captained the team 133 times, although he lost 104 of those matches.
Jason Roy, the former England opener, had three spells with the franchise, playing 3 matches for them and scoring a total of 1,087 runs. The 145 not out that he made in 2023 in a match against the Peshawar Zalmi in Rawalpindi remains the highest individual score in the history of the PSL.
Another foreign import, the Australian Shane Watson, managed 996 runs for them in three seasons between 2018 and 2020.
Leading wicket-takers
Islamabad United
Their leading wicket-taker is Shadab Khan, who has taken 91 wickets in 83 matches dating back to 2016. He is currently fourth on the PSL all-time list which is currently headed by Hasan Ali.
Faheem Ashraf, one of those who retired at the end of last season, finished with 78 wickets from 70 games.
There is then a big drop off until the third name on the list Rumman Raees, but having just played 42 games for them so far, he has a chance to improve on his 45 wickets in the years ahead.
Quetta Gladiators
Former Pakistan international Mohammad Nawaz remains the Gladiators leading wicket-taker, although he retired at the end of the 2023 season. He took 70 wickets in 76 innings for them between 2016 and 2023.
Mohammad Hasnain, who left the franchise to join the Multan Sultans ahead of PSL 10, remains second on the list having taken 51 wickets in his 39 games for the team.
Highest score
The highest score by either side in this fixture came in the second league meeting in 2025. Put into bat in Rawalpindi, the Gladiators made 263/3 from their 20 overs. The South African Rilee Rossouw made 104 off 46 balls, and Hasan Nawaz finished unbeaten on 100, off just 45 balls.
That was the top score by any side in a single innings in the history of the PSL. That was too much for United, who were all out for 154 in their reply.
The 415 runs that was scored in that match is the highest aggregate in a game between the two teams.
United’s highest score in this fixture came in March 2022, in a match that was played in Karachi. Batting first, and inspired by Munro, who made an unbeaten 72, they posted 229/4.
In reply the Gladiators were dismissed for 186, with Shadab Khan returning figures of 5 – 28.
Lowest scores
United’s lowest score against the Gladiators came back in 2016 in the very first edition of the PSL, when the two teams met in Dubai. Put into bat, United were bowled out for just 117, a score that might have been even lower but for an innings of 40 from opener Shane Watson. New Zealand all-rounder Grant Elliott took 3 -25, whilst there were also two wickets apiece for Zulfiqar Babar and Aizaz Cheema.
Despite the loss of two early wickets, the Gladiators were able to chase that down with almost four overs in hand, Ahmed Shehzad making 40, whilst captain Sarfaraz Ahmed was unbeaten on 51.
Two years later, in a match that was played in Sharjah this time, they were restricted to 134/7 from their 20 overs, despite Luke Ranchi scoring 43 off 26 balls for them.
Again, the Gladiators reached their target with comparative ease, Kevin Pieterson their top scorer in a six wicket victory.
The Gladiators lowest score in this fixture came in 2021. The tournament had begun in Pakistan that year, but was then switched to the Middle East in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Playing in Abu Dhabi they were bowled out for 133, with the United bowlers sharing the wickets between them. United reached the winning line in ten overs without losing a single wicket. Usman Khawaja made 40, whilst Colin Munro scored 90 not out off just 36 balls, including five sixes.
It was the fastest century stand in PSL history, and it was also the first time any side had won a PSL match with ten or more overs to spare.
Team captains
Islamabad United
Islamabad United have had a number of team captains over the years – although some have only stood in a few games whilst the regular skipper was unavailable – two stand out in terms of success. Misbah-ul-Haq led the side that won the first two titles. He was in charge for 26 games, and won 15 of them, finishing with a winning percentage of 57.59.
Meanwhile, Shadab Khan, who has captained the side since 2019, led them to the title again in 2024, and the playoffs the following season. He has skippered them in 55 games so far, and his number of wins means that his win percentage is almost equal to that of Ul-Haq (56.36).
Quetta Gladiators
By contrast, the Quetta Gladiators have only had three captains in their entire history. Sarfaraz Ahmed led the franchise from 2016 to 2023, and during that time he missed just two games, He won 38 games, finishing with a winning percentage of 48.1.
His successor as full-time captain, Rilee Rossouw has enjoyed marginally more success, and has won half of the games in which he has been charged with leading the team.