ISLAMABAD: The return of the accomplished Babar Azam as captain for the Twenty20 World Cup does not belie the great changes in Pakistan cricket over the past 18 months.
Since Babar’s team lost to England in the T20 World Cup final in November 2022, the Pakistan Cricket Board has had four chairmen, the selection committee has been overhauled, and Shaheen Shah The experiment, with Afridi as its captain, was immediately halted.
A new head coach has joined England’s limited-overs format just weeks before the World Cup, to be held in the United States and the Caribbean from June 1-29.
What’s more, Pakistan will be the last team to finalize their 15-man World Cup squad as they continue to experiment with different combinations.
Babar has urged his supporters to be patient and plans are in place for success.
Babar stepped down from the captaincy across all formats during Zaka Ashraf’s tenure as PCB chief following Pakistan’s failure to reach the semi-finals of the 50-over World Cup in India last year.
However, after Afridi lost the series 4-1 in New Zealand, he was made the T20 captain by Mohsin Naqvi, who became the fourth PCB chairman in less than 14 months, ahead of the home series against New Zealand in April. I have returned.
All-rounder Imad Wasim and fast bowler Mohammad Amir have returned from international retirement in the hope that their experience playing in the Caribbean Premier League will help Pakistan in the West Indies.
South Africa’s Gary Kirsten, who was appointed head coach last month, will get to know the Pakistan team first-hand during the four-match series in England, which both teams are playing as a rehearsal for the World Cup.
All these off-field incidents affected Pakistan’s preparations for the tournament.
They suffered a crushing defeat in the away series against New Zealand, drew 2 wins and 2 losses at home against the Black Caps, and lost the T20 series against Afghanistan with 2 wins and 1 loss. After a shocking loss to Ireland in Dublin, they won back-to-back games to take the series to 2-1.
And the unpredictable Pakistan will enter the next world tournament as a team to watch due to their rich history in the T20 World Cup. Pakistan has reached three finals, winning in 2009 and reaching the semi-finals three more times.
One of Kirsten’s coaching tips is already resonating with her players.
“Gary told us not to play for the name on the back of the jersey but to play for the badge on the front of the shirt,” Afridi said on the PCB podcast. “And that’s what stuck with me.”
Their fast bowling depth, featuring Afridi, the returning Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah and Amir, could pose a threat to any team, but Pakistan’s top-order was still inconsistent heading into the series in England, with left-hander Saim Ayub yet to feature after selectors decided to cut out the successful T20 opening pairing of Babar and Mohammad Rizwan.
Babar has faced criticism for not boosting his scoring rate in the T20 powerplay, especially when hitting first base. While other teams regularly exceed totals of 200, Pakistan are primarily aiming for totals in the 170-180 range.
Political tensions between Pakistan and India have meant no bilateral series have been held for over a decade, but the ICC tournament draws huge television viewers every time the arch-rivals play each other.
Pakistan and India will play a group match on June 9 at the new 34,000-seat Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, which will be the center of attention for the South Asian community.
Both teams are expected to advance to the Super 8 stage from a group that also includes tournament co-hosts the United States, Canada and Ireland.
Babar came close to winning the trophy twice as captain, but lost to eventual winners Australia in the 2021 semi-finals and England in the final in Melbourne the following year.
And to that end, he has earned the distinction of becoming the first player to lead his country in three consecutive T20 World Cups, and a third if Pakistan’s line-up can reach the final in Barbados on June 29. You’ll be trying to get lucky.
