T20 World Cup 2022: SWOT analysis of Pakistan squad

Pakistan have been deemed as one of the most mercurial sides in world cricket. When they entered the 50-over World Cup in 2019 not a single cricket fan or expert expected them to surrender to the West Indies in their tournament opener the way they did. 

They were humbled by the Windies as they were bundled out for 105 and the latter in turn chased it down with seven wickets and 218 balls to spare. Had it been any other team then such a drubbing in the first-ever game would have dented their morale but not Pakistan. 

They took on the hosts England in their second game and then did the unbelievable again. The Sarfaraz Ahmed-led side defeated the eventual champions by 14 runs to bring their dwindling World Cup campaign back on track. 

More than three years fast forward and a relatively young squad under the leadership of Babar Azam has been tasked to conquer the world again. Although a lot has changed since their 2019 World Cup campaign, what has remained constant is that akin to the previous editions the hopes of them going all the way and clinching the silverware galore. 

Here is the SWOT analysis of the Babar Azam-led Pakistan's T20 World Cup 2022 squad:

Strengths:

Bowling bravado:

Pakistan has been home to some world-class bowlers, who have made their presence felt in the international circuit time and time again. Sticking to tradition their bowling attack wears a very indomitable look heading into the T20 World Cup. 

Pakistan's frontline seamers in Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf were remarkable in the T20 World Cup 2021. Both players were very hard to put away and their economy rates in the tournament were a testament to the same. While Shaheen conceded runs at merely 7.04 per over, Haris' economy rate was 7.30 at the event.

With eight wickets across six games in a seven-match T20I series against England at home recently, Rauf emerged as the highest wicket-taker of the bilateral contest. It was Rauf who won Pakistan the fourth T20I against the run of play when he dismissed the ominous-looking Liam Dawson in the penultimate over of England's innings.

If anything, their pace battery has only strengthened as they now have Naseem Shah in their ranks as their third seamer instead of Hasan Ali, as the latter had a pretty underwhelming 2021 edition. Naseem bowled really well in three of the five games that he played during the Asia Cup. He picked up seven wickets across five games in the tournament at a reasonably good economy rate of 7.66. 

In addition to the pacers, Pakistan have another match-winner in Shadab Khan. Shadab racked up brilliant numbers in the recently concluded Asia Cup. He picked up eight wickets in five games and that too at a miserly rate of 6.05 per over. Although he could only bag three wickets in the tri-series in New Zealand recently, he was hard to put away with an economy rate of 6.90.

Shadab is known to come to the fore in multi-nation tournaments for Pakistan. With nine wickets in six matches, he was their highest wicket-taker in the T20 World Cup last year. But what stood out about his bowling efforts was the fact that he gave runs at merely six runs per over and was always breathing under the necks of opposition batters.

Formidable opening pair:

The opening pair of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan is arguably one of the most consistent opening pairs in world cricket right now.

The pair has recorded eight century partnerships together - most by any pair in the history of the format. They have aggregated 2313 runs at an astounding average of 53.79 across 45 innings when they have opened together. Additionally, they also have eight fifty-plus partnerships to their credit. 

The duo knows how to complement each other under intense pressure. Chasing 152 to win against India in the T20 World Cup last year, both players showed utmost composure and nerves of steel to scale the target. Significantly, they were not only chasing 152 but were also in pursuit to break a 29-year-long jinx, and hence the task was much more arduous than it seemed.

Weaknesses: 

Middling middle-order: 

Pakistan's middle order is a matter of grave concern for them. Players like Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, and Fakhar Zaman aggregated pretty average numbers in the recently concluded Asia Cup 2022. While Iftikhar's strike rate was 100.96, the same for Khushdil was 120.83 (predominantly due to a 15-ball 35* against Hong Kong's attack).

The seven-match T20I series at home against England didn't bring any change in the fortunes of Khushdil either. He scored 63 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 112.50 and never really looked like taking the game away from the opposition.

With strike rates of 132.00 and 132.65 against England and in the tri-series in New Zealand, Iftikhar too couldn't assure the team management of security. Hence, Babar and company were seen promoting the likes of Shadab and Mohammad Nawaz up the order for rapid acceleration during the tri-series.

Fakhar's struggle was there for everyone to see throughout Asia Cup. He ended up scoring merely 96 in six innings at a strike rate of 103.22. It was his below-par outing in the event that had forced the selectors to name him as a travelling reserve for the T20 World Cup 2022. 

But a string of underwhelming performances by the middle-order during the England series and in the T20I tri-series in New Zealand forced the selectors to draft Fakhar back into the main squad.

The selectors have named Haider Ali in the World Cup squad. But the 21-year-old's inclusion doesn't seem to solve the problem either. In 31 T20Is played thus far, Haider has scored 497 runs at a strike rate of 127.43. Again it's his strike rate that doesn't help Pakistan's cause.

Too many anchors for a T20I team's liking:

Pakistan have often copped severe criticism for their conservative batting methodology and the reason behind it is the presence of too many anchors on the team sheet. The rest of the world has moved on from that style of play and included players who are capable of changing gears at any stage of the game.

It doesn't mean that there is no place for an anchor in a modern-day T20I squad but if you take a quick look at Pakistan's World Cup squad then you will realise that their team is overburdened with them. Rizwan, Babar, Iftikhar, Shan Masood, Haider - all of these names are capable anchors but not all of them have proven their mettle when it comes to accelerating at will. 

In addition to the above two weaknesses, Pakistan are known to struggle against bouncers - a flaw that was recently exposed by India in their Asia Cup opener. In Australia, where wickets tend to produce a lot of bounce for the seamers, Pakistan have to be spot on or else they might suffer another humiliation.

Opportunities:

The last time Pakistan won a T20 World Cup was way back in 2009 in England. Since then they have turned up for every edition with plenty of self-belief but the results haven't followed. Hence, the upcoming T20 World Cup provides the side with yet another chance to drive the coveted silverware home. 

Babar Azam took the reins of Pakistan's T20I side in 2019 but in just three years he has created a name for himself as the captain of the side. In 59 matches, Babar has an envious win percentage of 66.66. His cabinet has plenty of bilateral trophies but an ICC multi-nation silverware is what eludes him.

Pakistan selectors have named numerous players in the World Cup squad, who are still to make a name for themselves in the international circuit and are still to find their feet. Therefore, the mega event in Australia is an invaluable opportunity for these youngsters to rise above the ranks and shine. 

Threats:

Early exit on the cards?

Pakistan find themselves in Group 2 alongside Asian neighbours India and Bangladesh, South Africa, and the Netherlands and one more team that will make its way into the Group after the culmination of the First Round.

With the presence of India and an in-form South Africa, a group exit looms large on the Green Brigade if they fail to hit the ground running. 

India are known to trump Pakistan in World Cups and the Proteas are having an outstanding run in the T20Is this year. South Africa have featured in 13 T20Is this year thus far and won seven, and lost five while one game yielded no result.

Finisher under fire

The Babar Azam-led side has only one designated finisher in Asif Ali. Asif has a T20I career strike rate of 134.49 and was instrumental in finishing games for the side against Afghanistan and New Zealand in the last year's T20 World Cup. But one year fast forward and the 31-year-old is struggling for consistency. 

He has blown hot and cold and the recent Asia Cup is a testament to the same. Ali failed to get Pakistan over the line in the Super 4 game against Afghanistan and had Naseem not played a blinder in the last over Pakistan were gaping at a painful loss. 

Even in the summit clash, Pakistan needed Asif to stand tall but he couldn't trouble the scorers and was undone by a googly from Wanindu Hasaranga. In the Super 4 fixture against arch-rivals India, Asif was lucky to remain till the last over as Arshdeep Singh grassed a dolly at third off Ravi Bishnoi's bowling. 

Even after that reprieve, Asif couldn't hit the winning runs for the Men in Green as Arshdeep redeemed himself (to a certain degree) by trapping him in front of the stumps and it was Iftikhar who sealed the game for his side on the penultimate delivery of the game. In the tri-series in New Zealand, he got the opportunity to wield his willow on four occasions but could only aggregate 32 runs at an underwhelming strike rate of 114.28.