Can out-of-form Pakistan discover a approach to win the T20 World Cup? | ICC Males’s T20 World Cup Information

The 2009 champions should overlook their chaotic lead-up to the World Cup and discover kind to have a shot on the semifinals.

Captain: Babar Azam
Fixtures: USA (June 6), India (June 9), Canada (June 11), Eire (June 16)
Greatest end at T20 World Cup: Champions (2009)

Pakistan enter the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 on the again of a tumultuous interval on and off the sphere, and their former main tempo bowler Umar Gul believes the chaotic preparations will hamper the group’s efficiency on the event.

Pakistan, the shedding finalists of the T20 World Cup in 2022 had a dismal run on the 50-over World Cup in India in November as they did not qualify for the semifinals and their captain Babar Azam stepped down from his position.

Off the sphere, the nation’s cricket board has been run by 4 completely different chairpersons in the identical interval, the teaching employees has undergone a number of adjustments and the present chairperson has handed the captaincy again to Babar.

To make issues worse, within the 18-month interval between the 2 T20 World Cups, Pakistan have gained solely 9 of their 25 T20 worldwide matches. Their solely T20 sequence win got here towards Eire, who’re ranked 5 locations under them on the ICC T20 group rankings.

All of those points have compounded to present Pakistan far-from-ideal preparation for the largest T20 World Cup but.

“You can not put together long-term plans when there are such a lot of adjustments,” Umar Gul advised Al Jazeera.

The previous quick bowler who was the main wicket-taker when Pakistan gained their solely T20 World Cup in 2009.

“Continuity in any respect ranges, together with the captaincy, is essential as [frequent] adjustments disrupt the group’s unity and gamers’ confidence,” Gul stated.

Pakistan’s two issues: Lack of position readability, middle-over rut

Pakistan have performed loads of T20 cricket, together with their house T20 franchise league, because the 50-over World Cup however have failed to search out kind and uniformity of their group choice.

The nationwide group’s selectors introduced again quick bowler Mohammad Amir and all-rounder Imad Wasim after convincing them to return out of their retirements for the T20 World Cup. With a purpose to bolster the batting, the selectors additionally fast-tracked power-hitting batter Usman Khan, who had given up cricket in Pakistan and was on qualification pathway to play for the United Arab Emirates.

Nonetheless, on-field success continues to elude them as they had been blown away by England once they toured the defending champions for T20 sequence.

Gul, who performed 4 T20 World Cups for Pakistan and is among the many event’s all-time main wicket-takers, believes Pakistan’s failures are right down to rushed choices and lack of position readability

“The gamers should have been uncertain about their spot and their position within the facet as a result of the squad was introduced per week forward of the event,” Gul stated.

Amid all of the chaos, Pakistan open their event marketing campaign towards co-hosts USA in Dallas on Thursday.

Their new coach Gary Kirsten, who linked up with the facet earlier than the event, is not going to have a lot time to sprinkle his World Cup profitable magic however Pakistan followers want to assume in any other case and hope he helps the facet choose up their scoring price within the shortest format of the sport.

Gul blames Pakistan’s lack of success on their poor batting and bowling through the center overs.

“Pakistan’s run price hovers round 7.5 however when we’ve performed higher within the center overs, the group has posted 200-plus scores.

“When Pakistan bowl, Shaheen Shah Afridi luggage wickets on the prime of the order, however they’re unable to get wickets within the center overs.”

Gul is hopeful that Pakistan can go off on one in every of their logic-defying runs and make it to the semifinals – as they usually do.

Gul’s three Pakistan gamers to observe

Saim Ayub: “Contemplating his excessive strike price and nice potential, Saim could be the X-factor for Pakistan.”

Fakhar Zaman: “When Fakhar will get going, he can win matches single-handedly.”

Shaheen Shah Afridi: “For his unrivalled capacity to get essential wickets from the onset.”