World Cup 2019: Key players for Pakistan

By
Arijah Siddiqui

May 29, 2019


                                 Team Pakistan ready for World Cup 2019. Photo: File

LONDON: The 1992 World Cup winners Pakistan cricket team is all ready to begin its World Cup campaign on May 31st, by playing against twice World Champions West Indies at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.

Coming out of consecutive ten losses in One-Day International cricket matches, Pakistan aims to get a head start in the tournament by coping up with their bowling, batting, and fielding meltdowns.

Pakistan requires a solid and potent base, especially in the top to keep striking on the flow of runs in the middle order, and even some element of power-hitting is required by the tail-enders. Statistics have shown that present-day Pakistan's National Cricket team has such players who have the ability to take the legacy of Pakistani cricket legends forward and have the capability to destroy the opponent team.

For ICC World Cup 2019, the most key players to watch for Pakistan in all the matches are:

1. Babar Azam

      Pakistani opener Babar Azam raising his bat to celebrate his fifty during a match. Photo: File

ICC T20I top-ranked batsman, Babar Azam, is one of the most essential assets of the Pakistani cricket team. He has a very stunning ODI average of more than 51 and a decent strike rate of 92+. He has scored more than ten centuries and twelve fifties against death bowling line ups.

2. Fakhar Zaman 

 Left-handed batsman and Pakistani opener Fakhar Zaman raising his bat to celebrate his half-century during a  match. Photo: File
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The decent Fakhar Zaman has always been in a red-hot form since he got eyes after his heroic maiden ODI hundred against India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 final, leading Pakistan to a massive victory by 180 runs. He has an impressive average of more than 57 in the last two years. He also scored 138 runs against England in the first ODI match of the 2019 Pak-Eng series.

3. Muhammad Amir

                          Pakistan's left-arm fire pace prospect Muhammad Amir. Photo: File

Muhammad Amir has always been lethal to opponents and a key player for Pakistan. He has taken more than 50 wickets in One-Day International matches with an economy of 4.78. He was not able to play against England as he was suspected with chicken pox. Amir’s return to the World Cup squad has given him a maybe “last” chance to prove his mettle to bounce back. He is a fire pace prospect for Pakistan cricket team.

4. Wahab Riaz

          Pakistan's left-arm fast bowler Wahab Riaz celebrating a wicket in a match. Photo: File

Wahab Riaz was not the part of Pakistan’s World Cup squad initially, but later he was called on for his inclusion. Wahab Riaz has always performed efficiently either it be a domestic tournament or an international tournament. Wahab has taken 102 wickets in 79 ODI matches with an economy of 5.68. His best bowling figures in ODIs are 5-46. His pace is expected to haunt the batting line of the opponents creating troubles with continuous variations in bowling.

5. Muhammad Hasnain

150 kmph and counting, Muhammad Hasnain - Amazing find of Pakistan Super League season 4. Photo: File

The 19-year-old right-arm fast bowler is an amazing product of Pakistan Super League 4, He received a quick call for his international debut in March this year after his mirror-cracking performance for Quetta Gladiators. He has become a part of the 150kmph group. Being a part of ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 is an amazing platform for Hasnain to prove his worth for investment in the cricketing future of Pakistan by playing a game-changing role for the team.