Dubai: Pakistan lifted the 1992 World Cup against England at the same venue, against all odds. Analysts and cricket lovers have drawn a comparison on similarities between then and now as Pakistan team qualified for the final almost under similar circumstances, against all odds.
Nevertheless, this is not a 50-over game, it is the T20 World Cup and a different ball game. This format can be anybody’s game on any given day. Pakistan should not be carried away with the notion that they would definitely lift they trophy like the 1992 World Cup.
Best fast bowling attack
I must say that Pakistan will enter the final as a bit of an underdog against the mighty England. Still, the Green Shirts will have upper hand due to their pace battery. There is no doubt that bowlers including Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammed Waseem Jr and Naseem Shah are the best fast bowling attack any team has in this tournament. They also have three spinners including Shaddab Khan, Mohammed Nawaz and Iftikhar Ahmed, who are also reliable batters and played key role in Pakistan’s wins.
Afridi & Co need to strike in powerplay and need to get early wickets make a match of it. It will be no-contest if England openers Jose Butler and Alex Hales are allowed to build another dangerous partnership, as they did against India.
Aggressive approach
Another plus point for Pakistan is that their openers skipper Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan have regained their form and both scored fifties in the semi-final against New Zealand. Their middle-order batters are also in good touch and the young Mohammed Haris can turn the game around with his aggressive approach. So batting department should not be a worry for Pakistan.
The key to Pakistan’s win is that the pacers will have to contain the England batters to the lowest possible total if England bat first, while they will have to get early wickets if England bat second. It would tough to beat England if they bat till end with plenty of wickets in hand.
