Pakistan’s Strengths and Weaknesses
The Pakistan cricket team happens to be the most unpredictable team in the cricketing circuit. Their performances just cannot be predicted. Let us look at Pakistan’s Strengths and Weaknesses.
However, if they play to their potential, they are strong contenders to lift the ICC T20 World cup 2022 trophy. The Pakistan Cricket Board announced its squad for the T20 World Cup a few weeks ago. Here is an in-depth analysis of the squad:
Pakistan Team for the ICC T20 World Cup 2022:
Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan (VC), Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Usman Qadir.
Pakistan Expected Playing XI:
Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shan Masood, Asif Ali/Haider Ali, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Pakistan’s Strengths and Weaknesses For T20 WC:
Pakistan’s Strengths
The Batting depth
The Strength of the team is their top order. Pakistan now has the Big 3 Babar, Rizwan, and Zaman. These are the players who hold the batting lineup together. They can give competition to any opposition team. Babar Azam is also a huge strength of the team. Moreover, These three are the batters who are depth of batting and the presence of multi-faceted players makes Pakistan very brutal. The Pakistan team has batter like these. Moreover, Pakistan can easily beat any team bowling attack in T20.
Anchors of the team:
Babar Azam: He is the new captain of the Pakistan cricket team. Babar Azam is known for his batting technique. He was last seen in the Asia cup when he was hitting maximums from the crease and also backing up the team as a good skipper. Australian pitch will be new for him as we look to the past record of 2022 in T20 internationals. He has played 15 matches and scored 441 runs with an average of 33.92 at a strike rate of 132.43.
Mohammad Rizwan: Pakistan Wicketkeeper Batter saved his team from extreme pressures at a lot of matches and has been the most promising player for the team. In his last 10 innings, Rizwan has scored 483 runs at an average of 60.37 and a strike rate of 131.60. Which includes as many as six half centuries. With all these innings coming within the last five weeks, Rizwan has scored 141 runs more than the next batter in the list of the most T20I runs.
Fakhar Zaman: Fakhar Zaman played 71 T20 matches and scored 1413 runs in 66 Innings. Fakhar Zaman’s Highest Score in T20 is 91. F Zaman has 0 T20 centuries, 9 T20 half centuries and 10 times 30+ and 7 times 20+ T20 runs. F Zaman has a strike rate of 131.3 with an average of 19.90 in 1076 T20 balls. Fakhar Zaman made a total of 189 boundaries with 138 fours and 51 sixes in T20. They are ready to back the team across the format in the mega event.
Bowlers:
Pakistan has a decent bowling attack with Shaheen Afridi and Usman Qadir, while other bowlers and all-rounders are seaming with the lack of experience in the overseas pitches.
While Shaheen Afridi, During the 2021 series against the West Indies, he was the main reason for Pakistan securing a 1-1 draw against the West Indies in the Caribbean. There were other spells of brilliant bowling against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. But, in the ICC World T20 2021, he blew India away with a magnificent spell of bowling. While in the lineup Usman Qadir is all set with his form and carrying his momentum from the Asia cup. Pakistan has a Shaheen Afridi; the star pacer is all set to return from injury.
Pakistan’s Weakness
Pakistan has a good starter and bowlers that end the game with a great impact in the death overs but the middle order is still a concern for Pakistan.
The evident weakness lies in fast bowling and the middle-order. The middle-order is very talented and also has a lot of potential but they lack experience. Keeping that in mind the PCB has drafted Shan Masood, a senior batter into the team. Last time around, the Pakistanis had names like Shoaib Malik, and Mohammad Hafeez but those experienced batters are now out.
Fast bowling includes Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, and Shahnawaz Dahani. The team must be hoping for Shaheen to be back in time. In the absence of Shaheen, this attack lacks a name that can scare the opposition by mere presence.
Pakistan has the habit of spoiling its party. This can be in the shot selection of the players. If Pakistan sticks to the basics and does not try something extra, they will not be tackling the contenders like India and England.
Players Dropped out
Shaheen is out for long for a long time and this might be one point of concern for Pakistan.
Injuries: Shaheen Afridi is set to return from injury during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. This Come will be a question on his performance in the mega event as he was out for a long time in the format.
However, the Selectors have picked some talented batters and all-rounders to strengthen the middle order but the challenge will be way different from what faced. Will the batters be able to hit out of the fence around, due to the strong breeze?
Although there will be a hint of green in the wickets, it will be dry beneath which will bring spinners into play.
India Vs Pakistan ICC T20 match to be held on 23rd October at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
