Pakistan 2017
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Can Pakistan replicate 2017 success at the World Cup?

Mustafa Ismail·
One Day International (ODI)
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Pakistan, led by Sarfaraz Ahmed, took all the plaudits as they lifted their first-ever ICC Champions Trophy title in 2017 – but a recent slump suggests they’ve lost that spark…

After an early loss to India in the group stages of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, Pakistan turned their fortunes around and played some fantastic cricket. Their batsmen were performing consistently and their bowlers were dismantling the opposition. The final was won by a crushing margin as well, as they triumphed over arch-rivals India to win the tournament. However, despite the highs of that tournament, Pakistan’s recent ODI and Test form has been worrying.

In the ODI format, 2018 proved to be a disappointing year for Pakistan – especially due to their dismal showing at the Asia Cup. Despite entering the competition as favourites, Mickey Arthur’s men were taken apart twice by India and fell to Bangladesh in a virtual semi-final, raising questions over Sarfaraz Ahmed’s captaincy and his long-term future. Mohammed Hafeez was inexplicably left out of the Asia Cup squad and Imad Wasim failed the yo-yo test, which meant that Pakistan could not call upon their Champions Trophy XI. Even so, the core of the team was in tact.

The Pakistani bowlers could not get the same purchase as the Indian, Bangladeshi or Afghani bowlers. On the other hand, the batsmen did not play with the required patience – and eventually, the tournament turned out to be a failure for Pakistan. There was controversy regarding team selection throughout the tournament. Junaid Khan was not given a chance until the very last game against Bangladesh, where he was the pick of the bowlers. To make matters worse, Mohammed Amir had been persisted with despite underperforming on multiple occasions.

Similarly, there was a lack of genuine leadership in the team. Sarfraz has a certain way of captaining his team, choosing to be very critical on the field and calling out mistakes straight away. While this worked wonders for Pakistan during the 2017 Champions Trophy, it seems as if the novelty has worn off for the players. If anything, they probably want to be encouraged more often than they’re chastised. Sarfaraz could benefit tremendously from improved motivational skills, especially during crunch situations in the World Cup. As a captain, his focus should be on extracting 100% from every member of his team – which can only be accomplished by tailoring his approach to different circumstances and the varying nature of his players.

Pakistan boast a solid line-up for the World Cup, but their chances depend largely on which version of the side turns up. In Babar Azam, they possess one of the game’s most talented young batsman. With practically every shot present in his arsenal and the ability to rotate strike effectively, a little more consistency will see Babar ranked among the best. The rest of the batsmen can bat around him as they offer a good mix of experience and youth. Hafeez and Shoaib Malik can steady the ship while the likes of Imam Ul Haq, Fakhar Zaman and Asif Ali can accelerate the innings. The Green Shirts also possess a few solid all-rounders in Faheem Ashraf, Imad Wasim and Shadab Khan – all of whom can be match-winners with bat or ball.

Moreover, evidence (including the Champions Trophy triumph) suggests that their bowling will be suited to English conditions. The likes of Amir, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Junaid Khan and Usman Shinwari can get the ball to move at pace and generate some reverse swing at the tail-end of an innings – causing problems for the batsmen. Shadab Khan is a very useful spinner in ODI’s, but Yasir Shah should also be included in the squad because a leg spinner can always win you games in the 50-over format.

Pakistan’s management and selection committee must ensure that the right players are picked based on form and ability, as well as their suitability for English conditions. There is every possibility that Pakistan will get knocked out in the group stage of the 2019 World Cup like they were in the Asia Cup, but if they can push through to the semi-finals then they’ll arguably be favourites for the trophy. Consistency will prove to be the key, and the players will need to bond well and play for each other. It’ll be a long tournament and each member of the team will be given the opportunity to contribute – and they must make the most of their chances.