The squad boasts a formidable trio at the top of the batting order, each ranking among the ICC Men’s Best Five. An adept middle-order possesses players capable of achieving the extraordinary on their best days. In addition, a three-pronged pace attack stands armed with all sorts of weapons in their armour making them a fearsome force. Do these factors make it Pakistan’s best chance to win the World Cup in India?
The Pakistani cricket ensemble has, this time, certainly met all prerequisites, forging a unit with the potential to wreak havoc on any opposition. On top of this, the very conditions of the World Cup matches resemble those they are accustomed to on home soil.
With an array of resources at their disposal, ready to breach defences and secure the trophy for Babar Azam’s treasure trove, could this signify that the stars are aligned perfectly for Pakistan?
Pakistan’s hegemony in the sub-continent with the blade
Since the last ODI World Cup in 2019, the Pakistan side has thrived while batting in sub-continental conditions. Amongst all the teams that are to play in the upcoming mega-event, the team led by Babar Azam averages the most with the bat.
Since time immemorial, batting has been Pakistan’s Achilles’ heel. From struggling to find consistent top-order batters to watching the middle order fall like a house of cards, the Asian team has endured its share of miseries. This tide, however, has changed its course. While the country is still better known for its lightning-fast bowlers, its batters are leaving no stone unturned to prove themselves, as is evident from the stats above.
A Pakistan team which is actually a ‘team’
Dressing room spats and lobbying have always been a prominent feature of the cricket circuit in Pakistan. Naturally, it dented the country’s chances of winning, especially, in multi-national tournaments – despite the presence of ridiculously-talented cricketers.
This Pakistan side, much to the fans’ sighs of relief, looks more like a team of men on a mission than a potpourri of unrelated and unconcerned team members forcefully made to sit together. This camaraderie between the men in green has aided them in amplifying the rewards of their talents and skills.
So much so, that the empty trophy cabinet of the team has started to get treated as an esoteric subject by fans and pundits alike.
Do match results vouch for this World Cup edition to be called Pakistan’s best chance?
Without a flicker of doubt. The Babar Azam-led team has a write-home-about win-to-loss ratio. In ODIs played after the World Cup 2019 Final, Pakistan has a 2.63 W/L ratio, which makes them a cut above the rest. The team reached its zenith in May this year when it occupied the top berth in the ICC ODI Team’s rankings, though they could bask in the enjoyment for only 48 hours.
Is there a catch in this near-utopian scenario?
The biggest downside here is the team Pakistan itself. No cricket fan would contradict this. Especially, if they have seen the players casually bottling up Pakistan’s best chance in one match and rising from their ashes, when even their post-mortem report was ordered, in the other.
Theoretically, Pakistan is but one of the favourites to at least make it to the semis this time. However, green shirts have never found it exciting to adhere to the theory. As much as the well-wishers of Babar’s men are hopeful, history inscribes a narrative of unpredictability onto the green shirts. A trait that steers them away from conforming to conventional wisdom. A trait that gives them sheer delight in watching the world witness them with their mouths gaping and wide open eyes.
This time too, the only thing we can expect from this on-paper-perfect Pakistan team is a bunch of surprises. The sort of surprises that are best not to be witnessed by those with weak hearts. The absolute hair-pullers that make people age a lifetime in a few seconds. And those unpredictable moments will chant at the top of their voices that this team never promises results. It’s just not their way. However, the spectators will get their money’s worth of drama and thrill in every game these cornered tigers enter to play.
