Former Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq has expressed his confidence in the Pakistan team’s capabilities despite their recent series loss to England. The latter strongly believes that the Babar Azam-led side will be one of the contenders to win the T20 World Cup series. Pakistan had previously lost against England (0-2) and still, they have some issues that need to be solved before their opening match against the USA on June 6.
Facing issues in the batting order, especially with a lack of impact from the middle-order batters, indeed posed a significant challenge for Pakistan’s T20 World Cup campaign. Having a disorder in their middle-order batting line-up, the Men in Green are expected to have a tough time facing the heavyweights in the upcoming fixtures.
The safest bet I think would be Australia- Misbah-ul-haq
Mishab mentioned Australia as the top contender for the ICC T20 World Cup but also went ahead to include Pakistan on the list as it was his hometown.
“The safest bet I think would be Australia. They know how to win. Whatever may be the condition. They come to Asia and win by playing with just one spinner. You can’t write off Australia from any World Cup. The second team is very difficult. Humein Pakistan mein rehna hai, toh Pakistan ko back karna hoga. India ka team badi strong hai, sara kuch hai (I want to stay in Pakistan, so I have to back Pakistan. India’s team is quite strong, they have everything),” Mishab mentioned during an interaction with Star Sports.
Pakistan is in Group A of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, alongside India, Canada, Ireland, and Ireland.
Misbah-ul-Haq had a significant history in Pakistan cricket, both as a player and as a coach. His role in the 2009 T20 World Cup victory, under the captaincy of Younis Khan, remained a memorable highlight in Pakistan cricket history. However, his tenure as the head coach of the Pakistan national team was not without controversy. Misbah-ul-Haq stepped down as Pakistan’s head coach just a couple of months before the 2021 T20 World Cup.
Pakistan has only won one T20I series in the build-up to the 2024 T20 World Cup
A lot has happened in Pakistan Cricket over the past few days. One of the most notable changes is the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) hierarchy and its effect on the squad. Shaheen Afridi was appointed as Pakistan’s skipper after Babar Azam stepped down from the captain’s post after Pakistan got kicked off from the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Shaheen Afridi‘s brief stint as T20I captain during the series against New Zealand didn’t yield the desired results, with Pakistan facing a defeat in the series. In response to the team’s performance, Babar Azam was reinstated as captain, leading Pakistan in subsequent series against New Zealand, Ireland, and England in the T20 format.
The loss to Ireland in the series opener was disappointing for Pakistan, especially considering their status as a higher-ranked team. However, they bounced back to win the remaining two matches and clinch the series as a testament to their resilience and ability to adapt under pressure.