History
In the first two seasons of the PSL, Islamabad United touched both extremes. Champions in 2016, they spent the next season embroiled in a spot-fixing scandal, the PCB handing bans to two of their players, Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif.
Islamabad started their 2016 campaign with four defeats in their first six matches, but gathered themselves strongly to win five straight games thereafter, including the final. They retained nearly the same bunch of players in 2017, but stumbled as the spot-fixing saga unfolded, and suffered from the absence of Andre Russell, who was serving a one-year doping ban. The side still managed to win four out eight games before being eliminated by Karachi Kings in the playoffs.
This year Islamabad have a refreshed squad with a new director and mentor in Waqar Younis, with Wasim Akram parting ways to join Multan Sultans. Once part of their playing squad, Saeed Ajmal has become their spin-bowling coach. Misbah-ul-Haq, at 43, is still playing and is set to lead the team once more.
Team overview
Islamabad remain in the experienced hands of Misbah. The team has released Sam Billings, Ben Duckett, Brad Haddin, Mohammad Irfan, Khalid Latif, Sharjeel Khan, Nic Pooran, Shane Watson, Zohaib Khan, Dwayne Smith and Rafatullah. Rumman Raees has been elevated to vice-captaincy and made an ambassador. Islamabad have also brought in Iftikhar Ahmed from Peshawar Zalmi in exchange for their supplementary pick in second round of the draft. During the replacement draft, they picked up Samit Patel as cover for Asela Gunaratne - who was originally meant to replace JP Duminy. Wicketkeeper-batsman Chadwick Walton has been brought in to fill in for Sam Billings.
Strengths
The return of Russell gives Islamabad a deadly weapon in the middle order, with Faheem Ashraf providing a similar set of all-round skills. The two give the side balance and plenty of depth, and on their day Islamabad can pile up massive totals. With Shadab Khan, Samuel Badree, Iftikhar Ahmed and Samit Patel, the spin-bowling department has plenty of variety.
Weaknesses
Misbah ul Haq has had a tremendous career and given plenty to Pakistan cricket. But he is 43 and hasn't played much competitive cricket since his international retirement. There is inexperience in the opening slot; the franchise might have moved on from Sharjeel Khan, but his absence could affect the team combination. The bench strength is largely untried, and that puts a lot on of pressure on familiar faces in the team.
Key overseas players
Returning from his one-year doping ban, Russell has made an immediate impact, scoring two fifties and a hundred in six matches for Jamaica in the Regional Super50 Cup, and also taking six wickets at 24.66. Russell clearly remains one of the best white-ball allrounders going around, capable of winning matches with bat and ball, and Islamabad would have had no hesitation in retaining him despite his lengthy layoff.
Under-the-radar local players
Over the last one year, Hussain Talat and Sahibzada Farhan have made solid progress towards getting into contention for national selection.
Talat, 22, hails from Lahore and has been in the circuit since 2013. He has ample experience already, having played 30 first-class games, 41 List A matches and 31 T20s. The left-hand batsman has done particularly well in the white-ball formats, averaging 43.27 in 50-overs cricket and 36.66, with a strike rate of 121.14, in T20s.
The 21-year-old Farhan doesn't have as much experience, but he grabbed plenty of attention last year with his attractive hundred in the final of the Pakistan Cup. He has been in good form since then, scoring another List A hundred, this time in the Regional One-Day Cup, for Peshawar against Lahore Whites.