Will Fakhar Zaman gambling do the trick for Pakistan? The left-handed batsman, who has been in poor form, has made it to the national team for the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup. Not in the original squad of fifteen announced by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in mid-September, the 31-year-old – despite a disappointing average of 21.72 in 53 matches – will feature in the tournament to be held at three UAE venues in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
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Clearly, Zaman’s inclusion in the squad can be attributed to his successful performances against India in the 50-over format, most notably the final of the ICC Champions Trophy at the Oval in London in June 2017. His team with a dozen fours and three sixes led their way to a memorable trophy win in the title match of the ICC event.
More significantly, he had collared India’s finger spinners, off-break businessman Ravichandran Ashwin and left-arm orthodox, Ravindra Jadeja. Zaman’s match-winning innings left Ashwin and Jadeja out of India’s white-ball cricket plan. Although Jadeja returned to the team due to his all-round abilities, especially his power-fielding efforts, Ashwin played three more ODIs soon after the Champions Trophy final until being called back for multiples with the selectors and captain Virat Kohli. Did not take their side. Nations Program in the United Arab Emirates.
Such was Zaman’s tremendous performance with the bat four years ago. In addition, they beat Indian bowlers in two of the three matches they played in the Emirates and in a World Cup match two years ago. He averages 51.75 against India in the 50-over format.
Zaman has not played a single Twenty20 International against India, and it remains to be seen whether Pakistan captain Babar Azam will be motivated to choose Zaman as an opener because of his profitable partnership with Mohammad Rizwan. begins its campaign at the Dubai International Stadium. on 24 October. Zaman’s record in the Pakistan Super League is disappointing, but his success against India in the longer white-ball format earned him a place in the squad. And wherever he bats, Jasprit will be eager to perform against Bumrah & Co. There is a lot at stake for him.
The intense rivalry between the two neighboring countries has always been a major event of the ICC’s bouquet, and the fact that Pakistan has not even once made it to India in the last Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa (2007), Sri Lanka. 2012), Bangladesh (2014) and India (2016) are expected to make the pulse of millions of fans on either side of the border. India defeated Pakistan twice (Kingsmead and Wanderers) in South Africa, including in the final, once each in Sri Lanka (Colombo), Bangladesh (Mirpur) and India (Kolkata).
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Pakistan have played 36 matches in the Arabian Gulf region in the United Arab Emirates and will be looking to beat the opponents by winning 22 for a 61.11 win equation. In addition, it has won the last 11 matches played in Abu Dhabi and Dubai after losing to England in the Super Over in Sharjah in November 2015. It has won 15 out of 25 matches played in Dubai, including the last six against West Indies. , Australia and New Zealand.
Pakistan’s preparation for the global competition was hampered by New Zealand and England pulling out of the home series citing security and players’ welfare. Pakistan is furious and its administration, mainly the new PCB chairman Ramiz Raja, has urged his team to show their potential in the World Cup and bring joy to the loyalists at home.
Pakistan’s biggest game-changer since the 2016 edition of the World Cup in India has been its classy captain Babar Azam. He has scored 2204 runs at the rate of 7.84 per over. He and Mohammad Rizwan have proved to be a formidable opening pair, scoring 521 runs in ten matches since February this year. Azam and Rizwan have twice scored 197 against South Africa at Centurion Park and 150 against England at Trent Bridge. Rizwan is performing brilliantly by scoring 1065 runs at an average of 48.41.
Pakistan have also picked up Mohammad Hafeez (2429 runs in 193 innings) and Shoaib Malik (at the cost of the injured Sohaib Maqsood), who have scored 2323 runs in 105 innings.
Pakistan’s selectors have picked up talented and in-form bowlers like leg-spinner Shadab Khan, seamer Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Nawaz, Haris Rauf and left-arm spinner Imad Wasim for a contest that the home board will consider as one. I admit. The biggest challenge is in the circumstances that have arisen due to the withdrawal of New Zealand and England from the home series.
Pakistan captain Azam can prove to be the biggest game changer. Things may get easier for him once he crosses the first hurdle in India. Pakistan has appointed Australian Matthew Hayden as batting consultant and South Africa’s Vernon Philander as bowling consultant for the World Cup and India has appointed MS Dhoni to guide the younger members of the team.
The last time the two teams met in a World Cup match in England was in June 2019, India won by 89 runs. Pakistan familiar with local conditions in the United Arab Emirates will attempt to change the script in a match that India captain Virat Kohli insisted will be just another game and a normal game.
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