Pakistan: Can the mavericks steal the show again?

Pakistan have long had a reputation for being a mercurial side but when it comes to T20I cricket they have been consistently impressive in the format and in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. This year they have all the tools at their disposal to make a deep run into the tournament, so will Babar Azam’s men taste glory?

Since their success in the 2009 edition of the tournament in England, the Men in Green are still searching for the perfect concoction to bring the trophy back home again. With a fearsome bowling attack, some of the best T20 batters in the world and familiarity with the conditions in the United Arab Emirates, the team are expected to pose a serious challenge for the title again.

Ahead of their blockbuster opening fixture against India, we take a deep look into their squad for the tournament. A format in which they have been at their mercurial best, Pakistan have always been at home in T20 cricket, winning their first ever match in the format in 2006 against England.

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They went on to showcase what a tour-de-force they were in the format in the following four T20 World Cups, reaching at least the semi-finals in all four editions. They made the final in 2007, only to go down to rivals India, but enjoyed their crowning moment two years later at the next edition.

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The road to the ICC Men’s 2021 T20 World Cup has not been smooth, with head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and his trusted deputy Waqar Younis stepping down a mere few hours after the squad for the tournament was announced. But Pakistan have often found a way to thrive through turbulence, and for the whole, they have enjoyed a strong 2021 in the format wth nine wins to just five losses. That includes series wins over South Africa (twice), Zimbabwe and the West Indies, and a 2-1 loss to England in England.

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With devastating pacers, clever spinners and skilful batters in their squad, Pakistan have as good a chance as any side to make it to the latter stages of the tournament. They have also spruced up their coaching staff with the additions of legendary Australian opener Matthew Hayden and iconic South African pacer Vernon Philander to the support staff. The pair with a proven international pedigree in their resume will hope to make a positive impact on the side during their brief stay with the team during the tournament.

There’s also the small matter of the opening pair of Mohammad Rizwan and Azam who average 48.40 and 46.89 in T20I cricket. To put that in perspective, in the history of the format only Virat Kohli averages more among players with a minimum of 20 innings. That is a bedrock on which anything can be built.

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The Squad

Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shoaib Malik.