Pakistan is heading into the 50-over World Cup as one of the favorites, and their impressive performance in the previous World Cup cycle contributes to this. They had the best win-loss ratio of 2.400, with 24 wins in 36 matches.
Consistency has been a key factor for Pakistan, with their main players performing consistently well over the years. Their captain, Babar Azam, has become a modern-day great, leading the ICC ODI rankings for batters. He’s one of only two players to score over 2,000 runs in the last four years, with an impressive average of 66.54 and a strike rate of 93.72. He has hit nine centuries in this period, tying with Shai Hope for the most centuries.
Babar’s compatriot and close friend, Imam-ul-Haq, is also ranked sixth, with 1,284 runs at an average of 45.85 and a strike rate of 84.41, including two centuries and 13 half-centuries in the past four years.
Shaheen Afridi, the young bowler who achieved a five-wicket haul in his last ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup match, has become one of the most feared bowlers in the game. Despite a seven-month injury break, he remains a key part of Pakistan’s pace attack, taking 46 wickets in the last four years with an impressive economy rate of 5.42.
