Prospects at the World Twenty20

Pakistan started preparing for the 2016 World Twenty20 almost immediately after their exit from the One-Day International World Cup last year. Shahid Afridi and Waqar Younis — captain and head coach, respectively — vowed to arrive at a settled combination three months before the start of the mega event. But as the national team enters the competition today, its chances of progressing from a group containing hosts India, Australia, New Zealand, and not to forget the talented Bangladeshis — who will be Pakistan’s opponents today — look quite bleak. Pakistan looked far from a settled combination in Asia Cup and now enter the World Twenty20 with a squad that lacks the kind of firepower that other top-ranked teams possess. While the bowling stocks look decent, the batting continues to be a major cause for concern. The top order consisting of Ahmed Shehzad, Sharjeel Khan and Mohammad Hafeez has often crumbled in high-pressure situations, which means a lot rests on the shoulders of the mercurial Umar Akmal and Sarfraz Ahmed.

A facile win over the even more troubled Sri Lanka in the warm-up game on March 15, would have lifted the morale of the team yet the challenge Pakistan face is a tough one. Bangladesh enjoy a psychological grip over Pakistan on the back of their winning streak against the national team in the past year, while the test that India, Australia and New Zealand will pose will be no less daunting. The leadership is also worried as Shahid Afridi has, of late, made the headlines for all the wrong reasons. The captain struggled to lead from the front in Asia Cup and the over-the-top reaction to his pro-India statement in Kolkata is likely to dampen his mood further. The World Twenty20 is the swansong of his chequered two-decade-long international career. Afridi would want to exit on a high. Can he at long last get the ‘happy ending’ he has been dreaming of? On paper, this looks to be a daunting task, but never say never when it is Pakistan and Afridi you are talking about.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 16^th, 2016.

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