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Pakistan are one of the favorites to lift the 2023 Asia Cup title and are on the lookout to lift the continental trophy for the first time since 2012.
The Men in Green recently showed their prowess through the dominant win over Afghanistan in the first ODI, and they will not rest until they succeed in the Asia Cup as well as the upcoming ODI World Cup.
Babar Azam will lead Pakistan who have been performing well in tournaments lately but are unable to cross the final hurdle. They made it to the finals of the 2022 Asia Cup and the 2022 T20 World Cup, losing on both occasions.
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Amid the turbulence behind the scenes in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), as well as the contract dispute, the team is expected to put on a strong showing. Winning the Asia Cup title will serve as the ideal preparation for the World Cup, and stamp Pakistan's authority as one of the favorites.
Pakistan squad for the 2023 Asia Cup
Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (captain), Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Tayyab Tahir, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Haris, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi.
On that note, let us take a look into the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the Pakistan team for Asia Cup 2023.
Strengths
The extreme ends of Pakistan's playing XI - their top order and their pace bowling unit are their primary strengths heading into the Asia Cup. While Pakistan have produced several intimidating pace bowlers over the years, the trio of Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah definitely rank among the best, especially in white-ball cricket.
Shaheen's proficiency with the new ball, where he gets it to swing by pitching it full, coupled with Rauf's raw pace makes them a deadly duo. Shah, on the other hand, has made an impression in his short career already and is not short on pace by any means.
Additionally, they also have a very capable fourth seamer in Mohammed Wasim Jnr. The pacer showed what he is capable of during the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.
On the batting front, the top three of Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, and Babar Azam forge a true unit of solidity and versatility. The aggression of Zaman is well balanced by the stability of Imam and Babar. The trio have been scoring runs aplenty in ODIs in recent times and also occupy spots among the top 10 ranked batters in the format.
The left-hand-right-hand combination has worked well while Babar Azam has been among the best batters in the format at No. 3.
Weaknesses
As much as Pakistan's pace bowling and top order look strong on paper, the right opposite is the case for the middle order of the team. There are a lot of question marks over the team's personnel from No. 4 to No. 6.
The same batting positions were Pakistan's cause for concern in the 2022 T20 World Cup as well. Mohammad Rizwan is a proven batter, but he has not yet found his groove the the 50-over format. Recently, he had stated that he wishes to bat at No. 4, rather than No. 5, and his wish might come true in the Asia Cup.
However, Rizwan's shakiness is the least of their worries. Pakistan only have the likes of Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, and Tayyab Tahir as options for No. 5 and No. 6.
Shadab Khan has improved considerably and is a genuine candidate to play the finisher role, but Pakistan are still missing a piece in the puzzle when it comes to their lower-middle order.
Opportunities
The Asia Cup presents a wonderful opportunity for new faces like Abdullah Shafique and Saud Shakeel to make an impression.
Shafique has only played three ODIs while Shakeel earned his maiden call-up. The pair have performed exceedingly well in the red-ball format and will look to translate the success into ODis if given a chance. There is also an opportunity for the talented Mohammad Haris to claim a spot in the middle order.
The tournament also comes across as an excellent avenue for skipper Babar Azam to regain his form back. He has been struggling for runs of late after ending the Lanka Premier League (LPL) with a string of poor scores and being dismissed for a duck in the first ODI against Afghanistan.
Threats
Pakistan's biggest threat potentially stems from their lack of depth and impact in the spin bowling department. Despite their prowess in the pace unit, the team will require influence by the spinners, especially against big teams, considering that the tournament is taking place in Sri Lanka.
Shadab Khan is the lead spinner but has only played nine ODIs since the start of 2022, which is half of what Pakistan have competed in. The other members of the spin unit include Mohammad Nawaz and Usama Mir. Salman Ali Agha also presents himself as a part-time option.
Given that other sides in the competition have proficient spinners like Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theeksana, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman and others, it is fair to say that Pakistan look quite bleak in comparison, and it could prove to be their downfall in the tournament.
Will Babar Azam and Co. go all the way at the 2023 Asia Cup? Let us know what you think.
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