“Need to play our best game”: David Warner reflects on defeat against Islamabad United

Karachi Kings fell short in a low-scoring affair at the National Bank Stadium on Sunday night, as Islamabad United cruised to a six-wicket win to continue their unbeaten run in HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) X.

Despite flashes of brilliance, including a stellar two-wicket over from Hasan Ali and a stunning catch by David Warner, the Kings couldn’t overcome a disciplined United unit.

Speaking after the match, Karachi Kings captain David Warner admitted the side didn’t quite hit their stride—particularly with the bat.

“It was always going to be difficult; losing the toss doesn’t help,” he said. “We need to try and get into positions where we can post a good score. It was a bit up and down—we were probably 20 runs short of a competitive total.”

The Kings posted 128/7 after being sent in to bat, with Tim Seifert top-scoring with 30 (37), while Mohammad Abbas Afridi added late impetus with a 9-ball 24*.

But with United’s bowlers firing on all cylinders—Naseem Shah, Jason Holder, and Shadab Khan picking up two wickets each—it proved insufficient.

David Warner, who fell early to a peach from Naseem Shah, pointed out the difficulty of reading the surface. “We play on the same wicket on Monday, so we know how it’s going to behave.

We need to assess how we go about our batting,” he added, stressing the importance of identifying scoring opportunities early. “We need to work out how we’re going to hit boundaries and how we approach the first six overs.”

While Warner acknowledged his own eye-catching catch—running back to dismiss in-form Sahibzada Farhan—he downplayed the effort with trademark humility: “It went up and I did what I know—ran back and kept my eyes on it. It was a fluke at the end of the day.”

Among the few positives for the Kings was the continued impact of Hasan Ali, who removed both Sahibzada Farhan and Colin Munro in a fiery fifth over.

“His experience is great—he spearheads our attack,” Warner said. “It’s great to have his class and caliber. He’s in good rhythm, and hopefully he can continue and find more success.”

Karachi Kings were initially considered to have a home advantage with five straight matches in Karachi, but Warner hinted that the narrative may not be holding up.

“We were told having five games here was an advantage, but you can see now that it isn’t. The dew has been inconsistent—it’s hard to tell what’s going to happen. For us, it’s just about playing good cricket.”

With a short turnaround before facing Peshawar Zalmi on Monday night, Warner was clear about the team’s focus. “We just need to play our best game. We need to focus on our powerplay batting and building partnerships.”

The Kings will be eager to bounce back and keep their campaign alive as they return to the field today.