Pakistan hope big changes can bear early fruit in T20 World Cup

Pakistan poses a formidable challenge to even the strongest teams in major tournaments, but their journey towards securing their second Twenty20 World Cup title may not be smooth sailing.

Following a significant overhaul in recent months, the team's performance in the 50-over World Cup in India last year was underwhelming, resulting in Babar Azam stepping down as captain across all formats.

Shaheen Afridi was then entrusted with leading the T20 squad, but Pakistan suffered a heavy defeat of 4-1 against New Zealand in January. Consequently, Babar resumed his role as captain in white-ball cricket and guided the team to a tense 2-2 draw against the same opponents at home.

Babar expressed his appreciation for Shaheen's input and emphasized the importance of consulting him for crucial decisions moving forward. The shared objective between them is to elevate the team to the pinnacle of world cricket.

After a humbling loss to Ireland, Pakistan bounced back with a 2-1 series victory in Dublin. However, they faced a setback in the second game of their rain-affected four-match series against T20 champions England, which marked Gary Kirsten's debut as the new coach.

Alongside Kirsten, notable changes were made to the Pakistan setup, including the appointments of Simon Helmot as the fielding coach and David Reid as the mental performance coach. These changes were implemented ahead of the upcoming World Cup scheduled from June 1 to 29 in the West Indies and the United States.

One of Kirsten's initial tasks will be to streamline the team's training regimen, following a problematic boot camp at a military academy in March and April. This camp was followed by a concerning string of injuries, sidelining players such as Azam Khan, Mohammad Rizwan, and Irfan Niazi.

Nevertheless, the South African coach remains optimistic about getting the team, who were runners-up in 2022, back on track.

Kirsten, with his extensive experience in guiding India to World Cup success in 2011, expressed excitement for Pakistan cricket's future under new administration and driven players.

The upcoming T20 World Cup is seen as a great chance to display skills and maintain Pakistan's strong cricket legacy. However, achieving success will require teamwork, careful planning, and unwavering support for each other.

Pakistan recently announced their 15-member squad for the tournament, including Haris Rauf who has recovered from a shoulder injury. The squad also features newcomers like Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Saim Ayub, and Usman Khan alongside experienced players.

Pakistan's journey in the World Cup starts with a match against the US on June 6th, followed by a highly anticipated clash against arch-rivals India.