Pakistan captain Babar Azam will be hoping his country will be third time lucky at the Twenty20 World Cup after losing in the semi-finals in 2021 and finishing as runners-up a year later.
Pakistan’s preparations for the tournament, to be played in the West Indies and the United States, have been in disarray, with Azam replacing Shaheen Shah Afridi as captain just three months before the tournament begins.
They barely managed a 2-2 draw in the T20 series against an understrength New Zealand at home in April, then travelled to Ireland where they lost their opening match but bounced back to win the series 2-1.
It seems completely normal now, but the players in the green uniforms have shown they still have the ability to be the best team one day and the worst the next, making them the most unpredictable team in the 20-team tournament that begins in the United States on June 1.
Pakistan are in Group A along with India, co-hosts USA, Canada and Ireland. The top two teams will progress to the next round of the Super Eights in the West Indies, with the final to be played in Barbados on June 29.
If Pakistan loses to India in the landmark match in New York on June 9 – having won just one of their seven matches against India in the T20 World Cup so far – their final group game against Ireland in Florida a week later could be a knockout fixture.
However, Azam is confident that his team will get lucky this time.
“Semi-final, then final, now it’s our turn to win the trophy,” he said before leaving for Ireland.
Pakistan cricket has seen a lot of change since their exit from the 50-over World Cup in November last year, with two changes in the coaching staff and the white-ball team captaincy being replaced by Shaheen from Azam.
Mohsin Naqvi, the news channel owner and the country’s interior minister, has taken over as head of the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Naqvi has reshuffled the selection committee, held a training camp at an army base to improve the fitness of vulnerable players and brought in former South African opener Gary Kirsten as white-ball coach – all to improve the team’s chances at the World Cup.
Fast bowler Mohammed Amir and spinner Imad Wasim, the only surviving players from Pakistan’s 2009 T20 World Cup triumph in England, have returned from retirement to further strengthen a bowling line-up led by Shaheen and the fast-improving Naseem Shah.
“I feel good, I’m in good shape and I’m looking forward to winning the World Cup,” Shaheen said on the PCB’s recent podcast, despite mixed reports surrounding the captaincy row.
“I have great partners and when they do well it motivates me too.”
To further motivate his players, Naqvi also announced that each player would receive a $100,000 bonus if they won the World Cup.
Enigmatic spinner Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan will assist Wasim with their slow bowling.
“This team is well prepared in every aspect so we can win and there are no excuses,” said Shaheen, whose fitness will be key for Pakistan.
Pakistan’s batting approach and lack of consistency is a big problem.
While other teams have started scoring totals of over 200 regularly, Pakistan have yet to reach that figure in 43 T20Is.
Pakistan will rely heavily on Azam and Mohammed Rizwan, who hold the world record for a century partnership.
Dashing left-hander Saim Ayub will be looking to break the Azam-Rizwan opening partnership, which has been criticised for being too slow.
Star batsman Fakhar Zaman and newcomers Usman Khan, Azam Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed form a formidable middle-order but they have struggled for consistency.
For Pakistan to truly “take home the trophy”, their batsmen need to step up and match the bowlers.
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