T20 World Cup 2021: Predicting Pakistan's squad for the tournament

Coming into the 2021 T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan is not carrying a huge deal of form. They recently won the T20I series in West Indies by a margin of 1-0, with three matches of the series being abandoned. But, Babar Azam and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq have managed to put together a good enough T20I side for the World Cup. One would think that the fact the tournament has been shifted to UAE will be a slight advantage for the Pakistan team and it is. Most of the players have experience of playing in these conditions and they have gained it by playing in the Pakistan Super League. Here is the predicted squad of Pakistan for the T20 World Cup 2021 1. Babar Azam Babar Azam. (Photo by Zac Goodwin/PA Images via Getty Images) Babar Azam is the first man whose name is written every time a Pakistan XI is made. He is arguably their most important batter and now with the added responsibility of being the captain, he is undoubtedly their most important player. This tournament will be a huge challenge for him as it will be his first ICC event as a captain. Though he has experience of leading a U-19 team of Pakistan before, leading them into the T20 World Cup is much bigger. His numbers at the two ICC senior-level events in which he has played aren’t too bad. In fact, in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, he was the leading run-getter for Pakistan. As far as his T20 form is concerned, it has been at another level for the past few years. He has shown great consistency with the bat and his experience of scoring runs in the United Arab Emirates will definitely be an advantage. Since 2018, he has scored 1736 T20I runs at an average of 46.91. His strike rate has improved as well and we might see a different side of him this time around. 2. Mohammad Hafeez Mohammad Hafeez. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images) Mohammad Hafeez has been living on the edge for a long time. But since he stopped playing 50-over cricket for Pakistan post the 2019 World Cup, his form in the shortest format has been impeccable. His career has seen a late flourish as far as the T20 format is concerned. Hafeez has shown how valuable he can be with the ball and the bat for Pakistan in recent times. During the recent T20I series in the West Indies, he won a Player-of-the-Match award for his fine bowling effort. In that match, he conceded only six runs in four overs and took one wicket. When it comes to batting, it has been almost certain that he has found some trick which he wasn’t aware of for years. In all trueness, Hafeez is an extremely valuable asset for Pakistan. He is experienced, can bat at any position, can bowl, can score at a good rate, and has been in a sensational form, of late. If something doesn’t go wrong between the management and him, he should play this World Cup. Given how Babar Azam has backed him, he could well turn out to be someone to watch out for. 3. Mohammad Rizwan Mohammad Rizwan. (Photo by Aamir QURESHI / AFP) (Photo by AAMIR QURESHI/AFP via Getty Images) Pakistan has found a gem of a player in Mohammad Rizwan. He is one of those players who has worked really hard to find a place in the playing XIs for a considerable amount of time. All of that has made him quite stiff and in control of his game. In the last couple of years, he has shown his true potential and emerged as a leader in this Pakistan team. His record with the bat in T20Is since 2018 is phenomenal. He has managed to score 959 runs in 25 innings at an average of 59.93 and with a strike rate of 134. Along with Babar Azam, he has been one of the most consistent batters in T20 cricket in the past 12 months. Apart from this, the fact that he has scored runs in UAE recently in the Pakistan Super League is also an advantage for the team. Behind the stumps, he has been rock solid and in a recent couple of series, he has also been seen conversing with the skipper and giving his views. Given the fact that he took his team to a PSL title, his experience of leadership should also be a valuable aspect. For Pakistan to do well, Rizwan will be a key man in this World Cup. 4. Sohaib Maqsood Sohaib Maqsood. (Photo Source: Twitter) It seems almost unbelievable that this could be Maqsood’s third big ICC event but only his first since the 2015 World Cup. At the age of 34, he has been able to revive his career and make it to the Pakistan T20I side. The way he has come back into the national team is quite inspirational but his role is yet to be defined. He is a power-hitter and can be seen mostly being used as a floater. He is someone who can come in at 25 for 3 and stabilize the situation or he can also come at 120 for 1 and bat in the fifth gear from the very word go. In the recent Pakistan Super League season, he scored 428 runs at an average of 47.55 and a strike rate of 156.77. His ability to score runs fast is one of the reasons why he is a match-winner. He can take the game away from the opposition in a few overs. If he is able to find the boundaries on a regular basis during the World Cup, Pakistan can say that they have found their missing links in the jigsaw puzzle. 5. Fakhar Zaman Fakhar Zaman. (Photo Source: Twitter) Fakhar Zaman is one player that has not been utilised in the best way possible in the shortest format yet by the Pakistan team management. Despite being an opening batsman, the left-hander has been forced to bat in the middle order or No. 3 because of the management’s decision to back Rizwan and Babar at the top. Though the experiment with them has worked wonders for the Pakistan team, it does come at the cost of his batting position. The southpaw, though, seems to have been told that the more radical approach would be for him to bat three or lower as he has the ability to clear the boundary on a regular basis. What does not fall in favor of Zaman are his numbers in T20Is since 2018. He has played 40 innings in this period and returned with only 891 runs at an average of 22.84. His strike rate is above 140, but lack of runs in the format was the main reason why Pakistan had to go with Rizwan and Babar at the top. Zaman will surely find a place in the XI but where will he bat and how well will he adapt is a question to ponder upon. 6. Haris Rauf Haris Rauf. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Haris Rauf was brought into the Pakistan national team keeping in mind the 2020 T20 World Cup, which was initially supposed to be held in Australia. His exploits in the Big Bash League for Melbourne Stars made him a household name in Australia. If his record is looked in T20I matches, you may get an indication that he could be the best bowler Pakistan has at this moment in this format. In 23 matches so far, he has picked up 28 wickets at an average of 25. Even though his economy is a thing of concern, he has managed to maintain a low strike rate of 16.80. Since his arrival in international cricket, he has shown that he can be trusted with the ball regularly and he will most definitely deliver in various situations. His variations are critical to his success and on the UAE pitches, he can turn out to be a trump card for Pakistan. 7. Shadab Khan Shadab Khan. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS) Shadab Khan came along as more of a spinner who could bat. But, in the past two seasons of the Pakistan Super League, he has been seen taking more responsibility with the bat. Maybe, it was because he was leading the team but he has shown tremendous ability to bat in the middle order. In the 2020 edition of PSL, he made 263 runs with an average of 37.57 and a strike rate of 160. He made three fifties in that season but his form took a dip in the subsequent season. For Pakistan though, he remains the leader of the spin attack and most importantly, a wicket-taking bowler for the captain. Since 2018, he has been the most successful Pakistan bowler in the T20I format. He has picked up 44 wickets in 43 matches at an average of 25 and a strike rate of 19.7. With added capabilities of batsmanship down the order, Shadab can be a match-winner for Pakistan at the T20 World Cup. 8. Imad Wasim Imad Wasim. (Photo Source: Twitter) Imad Wasim has had a start-stop career mostly because of lack of wickets for Pakistan in ODI cricket. His numbers with the bat are super impressive when you put into perspective what other No. 7 batters around the globe are doing. Though, in T20Is, he hasn’t got a lot of opportunities to bat, his strike rate is above 145, which is a huge plus for him. Despite underwhelming numbers with the ball in 50-over cricket, his numbers in the shortest format are credible enough. This is probably why Pakistan have stuck with him in the T20Is more than any other format. Wasim has played 52 games and picked up 51 wickets. What is more impressive is his economy of 6.40 in the T20 format. This makes him a prized asset and with the ability to bowl in the powerplay as well, he has truly multi-dimensional skills. At 32, he also has a lot of experience of playing the format. He has played in overseas leagues as well. And in 2020, he led Karachi Kings to a PSL title. On the field, he could be a good tactical advisor to Babar Azam. 9. Sharjeel Khan Sharjeel Khan. (Photo by Morne de Klerk/Getty Images) Sharjeel Khan has got a second chance to his international career and would be keen to revive it now. His T20I numbers so far don’t do justice to the talent which he possesses as a batter in this format. But, given the current state of Pakistan’s top order, having Sharjeel has a few downsizes. First, let us consider the advantages. Sharjeel is a great hitter of the ball and is someone who can make use of the powerplay. He can strike the ball really hard and given the license, we might see another beast at work. In a recent match of the Kashmir Premier League, he also scored 141 runs in just 63 balls. The downsize is also around his batting position. Unlike Fakhar Zaman, there will be a resistance to play him in the middle order. He is someone who likes to bat at the top of the order and is someone who has not been tested in the middle order. For now, it seems that he could play the role of the backup opener. 10. Sarfaraz Ahmed Sarfaraz Ahmed. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Just a few years ago, Sarfaraz was considered a pretty dynamic batsman. But in 2021, his stock price has significantly reduced. Since getting dropped from the team, Sarfaraz has found it difficult to make it back to the XI, especially because of the emergence of Mohammad Rizwan. At the domestic level, from time to time, Sarfaraz has made his presence felt. For instance, in the Pakistan Super League 2021, he was in superb form when the tournament initially started in Pakistan. In the second leg, his form dropped. Of the 10 matches in which he played, he scored 321 runs at an average close to 46, with a strike rate of 138. In that tournament, he showed how well he can play the role of anchor. The problem with the current Pakistan team is that they have two consistent and solid batsmen who play a similar anchor’s role. Since 2018, his numbers aren’t bad for Pakistan, but he hasn’t played regularly. Funnily enough, after dropping from the XI and captaincy, the management have kept him on the sidelines. For now, it seems he is a reliable player, but just good enough to start. 11. Shaheen Afridi Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi. (Photo by AAMIR QURESHI/AFP via Getty Images) Shaheen Shah Afridi has been playing at the international level for just a couple of years now. But the 20-year-old can be easily called the leader of this attack. He has been on point with his pace, accuracy, and consistent lines. All of these make him a fearful bowler and every team playing against Pakistan will be wary of the threat that he possesses. Having said that, his record since 2018 has been quite good. Incidentally, he has played all his 30 T20Is after the start of 2018. He has managed to scalp up 32 wickets in those matches at an average of 27 and a strike rate of 20. He brings a lot to the table for Pakistan and will be one of their most important players at this World Cup. What would make the team management a lot happier about his form is his recent record in the PSL matches in the UAE. In the 2021 edition of the PSL, he picked up 16 wickets from 10 matches, with a greater amount of success in the UAE leg of the tournament. It will be interesting though, how Babar Azam uses him against different oppositions and when. 12. Usman Qadir Usman Qadir. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Usman Qadir’s story of making his first appearance for Pakistan is quite incredible. Being the son of the legendary spinner, Abdul Qadir, life as a young cricketer must have not been so easy for the leg-spinner. He moved to Australia and made his intentions clear to represent Australia at the 2020 T20 World Cup. But quality performances made him catch the attention of the Pakistan national team selectors once again. He made his debut for Pakistan in November 2020 when the T20 World Cup was already postponed. Since his debut, he has shown potential of becoming one of the best leg-spinners in Pakistan. In 16 T20I matches, he has 20 wickets at a strike rate of 13. But, the problem is that the Pakistan team already has a leg-spinner in Shadab Khan, who is a capable batter as well. Unless Pakistan feels the need to play with two right-arm leg spinners, Usman could find himself warming the benches in the T20 World Cup. 13. Faheem Ashraf Faheem Ashraf of Pakistan. (Photo Source: Twitter) Faheem Ashraf’s record doesn’t always depict the capability which he possesses as a bowler and a batsman in the T20 format. He is someone who isn’t easy to get away with. Batsmen can’t always score easily against him and he has a knack of picking wickets, despite being hit for runs. In the last few years, his bowling stats in Pakistan Super League have been pretty good for someone who can even bat and score quickly down the order. In the 2021 season, he picked up nine wickets in eight matches at a strike rate of 18. His economy was 6.8. For Pakistan as well, he has been one of the more consistent players. He has played 42 T20Is and taken 35 wickets with an economy of 7.5. All of that also comes with his ability to launch sixes towards the end of the innings. One can imagine him, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim combining well to form a solid lower-order of Pakistan, which could essentially make their team look stronger in terms of batting depth. 14. Hasan Ali Hasan Ali. (Photo Source: Getty Images) When Hasan Ali first arrived at the world stage in 2017, everyone knew that he can be someone who can go on to become the leader of the Pakistan bowling attack. He has shown that he had the potential to pick up wickets on a regular basis in almost all conditions. But, his form dropped going into the 2019 World Cup. In the last few months, Hasan has shown the world how to make a comeback at the international level. He has turned around his fortunes in the recent seasons and can come good for whichever team he has played. In the 2021 PSL, he had managed to pick up 13 wickets from 10 matches, which were quite crucial for his team. At the international level as well, he has been quite magnificent. Since 2018, he has taken 34 wickets for Pakistan in 29 matches, which is the second-most by any Pakistan bowler in the period. For someone who has experience of playing in the UAE, he understands the conditions well and could be a valuable asset for the Pakistan team. 15. Mohammad Hasnain Mohammad Hasnain. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Though Mohammad Hasnain is about 21 years old, there is a bit of hype around this young pacer. And the hype is quite right, given his ability to constantly chunk out good spells for the team. On the recent England tour, he showed the amount of variety which he has, something which could be a great advantage for him in the UAE conditions. In the Pakistan Super League 2021, he picked up nine wickets in nine matches. Despite being a part of an average bowling unit, he managed to shine through in a few matches towards the end of the tournament. The thing about playing in the UAE conditions is that the can’t always be filled up with just spinners. With the presence of Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Hasan Ali, it is highly unlikely that Hasnain will get a chance in the starting XI. What is for sure, is that the Pakistan team management will back him if one of the senior bowlers gets injured or needs a break. 16. Mohammad Nawaz Mohammad Nawaz. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)N Mohammad Nawaz has a lot going for himself. He is a classical left-arm spinner who can land the ball in the right areas most of the time. He can bowl in powerplay overs and middle overs. On top of that, he can provide some handy runs down the order. But, all of this will look if he manages to execute every skill properly. Earlier this year, his form in the Pakistan Super League wasn’t too impressive. He got only six wickets from nine matches. However, what works in his favor is his record in the United Arab Emirates. Nawaz was one of the breakthrough stars in the PSL during its early years. And he managed to do so by performing well in the UAE. Some may even consider him as the dark horse to make it to the XI or even the squad, considering his form in the past 12 months. But, if you consider his record since 2018 for Pakistan, he has taken 16 wickets in 17 matches at an average of 24 and with an economy of around 7.

T20 World Cup 2021: Predicting Pakistan's squad for the tournament

Pakistan is a team full of talents, but who will play and who will miss the flight to UAE? Here is their predicted squad for the T20 World Cup.

4. Sohaib Maqsood