Hyderabad: Predictably unpredictable Pakistan squad is heading into the ICC World Cup after chaotic build-up. Ever since their Champions Trophy triumph in 2017 when Sarfraz Ahmed-led side thrashed their arch-rivals India by 180 runs, the Men-in-Green have been in horrendous form.
Pakistan have been beaten in their last ten ODI matches and recently even minnows Afghanistan thrashed them by three wickets in their first warm-up game on Friday before World Cup.
The Men-in-Green have been blanked in their last two ODI series first by Australia in UAE than by England in England.
Despite their horrific run, Pakistan team is still touted to reach the next round of the WC, which will kick start on May 30 in England.
Etv Bharat does a SWOT analysis of Pakistan team ahead of the World Cup:
Strengths:
The Pakistan team is full of match winners. There are many batters as well bowlers who can single handily guide their side to victory.
It is not the ability or talent where Pak lack but their performances as a team. On Friday, Babar Azam scored a magnificent century while Pak kept losing wickets on regular intervals. During Pakistan's five-match ODI series against England, Azam scored a century and three half-centuries in their series yet his side was not able to win a single game.
The likes of Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman and veteran Shoaib Malik have also shown their fire-power throughout their tour to the United Kingdom. Wahab Riaz, who was recently included in Pak's World Cup squad, wreaked havoc on Afghan batters during their warm-up match and almost took his side to victory.
Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Hasnain have also been turning heads with their bowling.
Weaknesses:
The biggest problem for Pakistan is their selection. Wahab Riaz has been included in Pak's limited overs squad after two years while Mohammad Amir, who has picked 8 wickets in 16 matches since the 2017 Champions Trophy at an average of 59.87, was also recalled in the WC squad.
During their England series, Shaheen Afridi went for over 80 runs in all matches that he played and meanwhile, Mohammad Hasnain remains a relatively unknown quantity.
Opportunities:
Despite so many flaws, it is a well-known fact that Pakistan has a tendency to pull off the most astonishing wins at times when they look the least probable. We can take Pakistan's breathtaking performance in Champions Trophy for example or Imran Khan's "Cornered Tigers" that went on to win the World Cup in 1992.
Threats:
Pakistan has faced five of nine other teams playing in the upcoming fifty overs mega tournament in last two years in bilateral series and lost to four of them. And when they will take on rejuvenated West Indies unit on May 31, they will have to overcome is putting those results behind and going for the jugular.
Pakistan's World Cup Squad: Sarfaraz Ahmed (capt & wk), Asif Ali, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Wahab Riaz.
