Karachi [Pakistan], February 17 (ANI): Pakistan's impressive winning streak, which includes two historic ODI series victories, has raised concerns about the form of star batsman Babar Azam and the lack of a game-changing opening partnership ahead of their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 opener against New Zealand on Wednesday.
Pakistan's title defense in the Champions Trophy will begin on February 19 against New Zealand in Karachi, followed by a highly anticipated match against arch-rivals India on February 23 in Dubai. Their final match will be against Bangladesh on February 27 in Rawalpindi. As a team known for generating excitement and drama during ICC tournaments due to the presence of several high-profile players, unpredictable performances, and memorable media statements, the defending champions will be seeking to become the only team to successfully defend their title, a feat previously achieved by Australia.
*Bilateral form
In the lead-up to the tournament, Pakistan has performed well in bilateral series. Their match form has been unpredictable, sometimes playing at a club level and at other times dominating their opponents. However, the majority of their recent performances suggest they are well-prepared to enter the tournament.
Before the tournament, Pakistan has won all three bilateral series, including two played away from home, and reached the final of the tri-nation series held at home against New Zealand and South Africa. Their first ODI series victories in Australia since 2002 and their first-ever ODI series triumph in South Africa are two significant confidence boosters that will instill in them the belief that they can achieve anything. Since the conclusion of the 2023 50-over World Cup, Pakistan have participated in 12 ODIs, winning eight and losing four.
Here is a look at their track record in bilateral/tri-series: Against Australia (away, won 2-1), against Zimbabwe (away, won 2-1) and South Africa (away, won 3-0), tri-nation series against New Zealand and South Africa (lost in the final to NZ).
*Positives:
Building on momentum: Even though this tournament is short, peaking at the right time is crucial. With two significant ODI series victories and eight out of 12 ODI wins since the end of the last 50-over World Cup, Pakistan has many positives and confidence to draw upon. Having achieved these wins in challenging situations and on tough pitches, they have a wealth of inspiration to draw from.
Home field advantage plays a significant role. Pakistan will benefit from playing most of their matches at home, except for the encounter against India. Having secured a spot in the tri-series final and having recently competed here, Pakistan hopes to capitalize on this home advantage.
Rizwan's impressive form as captain has not been affected, as evidenced by his 435 runs in 10 innings at an average of 62.14, including a century and two half-centuries.
-Excellent form of pace trio: The pace trio of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah has demonstrated excellent form, despite some occasional setbacks. This trio is among the best in the world and has frequently showcased its peak form at ICC events.
-Strong record against India: In contrast to the 50-over and T20 World Cups, Pakistan has a 3-2 edge over India in the Champions Trophy, having secured a 180-run victory in the 2017 final, when India's star batsman Virat Kohli was at the peak of his form and his team seemed unbeatable. They will head to Dubai with considerable momentum. In fact, one of the heroes of that 2017 Champions Trophy final, Fakhar Zaman, is part of this team.
Fakhar's X-Factor: Fakhar Zaman has been in exceptional form in ODIs. He has been in top-notch form since 2023. In this period, he has played 22 ODIs, scoring 989 runs at an average of 52.05 and a strike rate of approximately 96, with four centuries and three half-centuries.
Salman Agha's clutch performances: The all-rounder has consistently delivered in Pakistan's most challenging situations across all formats and is currently in excellent form in One-Day Internationals. In the 12 ODIs since the World Cup, he has scored 428 runs in nine innings at an average of 53.50, including a century and a fifty, and has taken 12 wickets at an average of 26.66, with his best bowling figures of 4/32.
*Negatives:
-Pakistan's young star opener Saim Ayub is not participating in the tournament due to injury. The 22-year-old has been a game-changer for Pakistan, often providing his team with explosive starts. In nine matches after the 2023 World Cup, he was the team's top scorer with 515 runs at an average of 64.37, including three centuries and a half-century, with a strike rate of 105.53. The absence of a player of his caliber will undoubtedly be felt by Pakistan.
-Babar Azam's form: The former Pakistan captain has not scored an international century since August 2023 and is struggling to convert his promising starts into something significant. Since the end of the 2023 World Cup, Babar has scored 290 runs in nine matches at an average of 41.42 and a somewhat disappointing strike rate of 77.54, with two half-centuries and a best score of 73.
During the recent tri-series, he was unable to deliver as an opener, a position he had also held during the Champions Trophy, managing only 62 runs in three innings.
Pakistan lacks a strong spin bowling department, particularly when they face a tough challenge. Their frontline spinner Abrar Ahmed and part-time options Salman Agha and Khushdil Shah are not sufficient to pose a threat to teams that struggle with spin bowling. Pakistan's spin arsenal is weak, especially in spin-friendly conditions such as those found in Dubai.
Top performers since the conclusion of the 2023 World Cup until the present time:
Top scorers: Saim Ayub (515 runs in nine innings at an average of 64.37, with a strike rate of 105.53, including three centuries and a fifty), Mohammed Rizwan (435 runs in 10 innings at an average of 62.14, including a century and two fifties), Salman Agha (428 runs in nine innings at an average of 53.50, including a century and a fifty), Babar Azam (290 runs in nine innings at an average of 41.42, with two fifties) and Kamran Ghulam (210 runs in seven innings at an average of 30.00, with a century and a fifty).
Leading wicket-takers: Shaheen Shah Afridi (21 wickets in nine matches with an average of 22.04), Haris Rauf (14 wickets in nine matches with an average of 22.42), Abrar Ahmed (13 wickets in seven matches with an average of 30.04), Naseem Shah (13 wickets in nine matches with an average of 36.84), and Salman Agha (12 wickets in 12 matches with an average of 26.66).
Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper/captain), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi. (ANI)