Pakistan Twenty20 World Cup Team

Pakistan Team - Twenty20 World Cup The Pakistan team won’t be taken lightly at the Twenty20 World Cup. Underdogs at the 2009 tournament, Pakistan played imperiously to reach their second consecutive semifinal before going on to beat Sri Lanka in the final.

Despite the team’s excellent performances at the Twenty20 World Cup it is once again priced amongst the underdogs for the 2010 tournament. This will suit the Pakistanis fine, as they tend to perform at their best when underestimated by their opponents.

Twenty20 World Cup History

Pakistan entered the 2007 Twenty20 World Cup in disarray, and with few expecting them to make an impression on the tournament. The team had suffered a humiliating early exit from the World Cup of Cricket just months earlier, and was still recovering from the tragic death of coach Bob Woolmer.

However, the Pakistanis were not prepared to simply make up the numbers, and went into the Twenty20 World Cup with all cylinders firing. The team lost only one match on its way to the semifinals, topping its Super Eight group in the process. Pakistan went on to beat New Zealand with ease in the semifinal, and narrowly lost out on taking the tournament title in the final, where they lost to India by just 5 runs.

In 2009 Pakistan once again entered the Twenty20 World Cup as a rank outsider. The team finished the group stages in second place in Group B, then secured second place in Group F during the Super 8′s courtesy of victories over New Zealand and Ireland. Pakistan then built momentum in the knockout rounds, disposing of South Africa in the semifinals before beating Sri Lanka in the final to take the World Twenty20 title.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Pakistan cricket has always been able to draw on a supply of world class fast bowlers, many of whom are able to combine devastating pace with the ability to swing the ball in both directions. Pakistan has also demonstrated an ability to hit top gear at the appropriate time, and have come back from slow starts to win tournaments or reach finals several times in the past.

Where Pakistan sometimes struggle is in the consistency department, with the team previously experiencing major fluctuations in form over a short period of time. There is also some concern over the stability of the team’s top order batsmen, and the team is yet to compensate for the departure of Inzamam Ul Haq, who left a gaping void in the batting lineup.