Pakistan Team World Cup 2011 - Key Players
Pakistan cricket has been surrounded by controversies throughout the year 2010. The spot-fixing scandal and politics within the Pakistan Cricket Board have hampered Pakistan's performance on the field. Now, with the 2011 World Cup just 2 months away, it is being argued whether Pakistan will be able to put up a strong fight in the competition.The likes of Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Yousaf and Shoaib Malik seem doubtful for the 2011 tournament, further depleting Pakistan's chances. It can safely be deduced by looking at the probable Pakistan team, that it is not that strong a unit. However, individual players have the capacity to turn a match on its head single handily. Here is a list of 6 key players Pakistani fans will be looking towards, to inspire their team:
Shahid Afridi: It is the trademark of a great captain to lead from the front. Whether Afridi can be regarded as that great captain is a separate issue but few will argue that Boom Boom has great match winning abilities. Not only can he bludgeon bowling attacks, he is also equally lethal when it comes to his leg spin. Perhaps he is much more consistent with his bowling, which will surely come in handy on the spin friendly pitches of the World Cup.
Shoaib Akhtar: The Rawalpindi Express might be 35 years old, but he has proven that he can still consistently deliver at over and around 90 miles/hour. He has impressed everyone with his comeback in the side and his attitude towards the game has been appreciated by all. His art of reverse swing, inherited from the two greats Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, will pose a great threat to the opposition.
Abdul Razzaq: The blistering 109* of 72 bowls in the second ODI in Abu Dhabi against a fiery South African attack shattered any doubts, if there were any, that Razzaq is one of the cleanest hitters of a cricket ball. The pitches in the World Cup are expected to have low bounce and will mainly be flat, which will allow Razzaq to free his arms while batting. Even though Razzaq has lost the sting he had in his bowling during his early days, he can still deliver some useful overs if required.
Umar Akmal This youngster was considered by many to be the next great Pakistan batsman. However, the 20 year old has shown he still needs time to grow as his shot selection at times reflects ridicules immaturity. When on song though, Akmal can tear bowling lines apart. This was demonstrated in the 2010 T-20 semi-final against Australia.
Saeed Ajmal: Although, he is not a big turner of the ball, he still has had success against almost all oppositions, in limited overs cricket. His dosra has troubled most batsmen who have faced him and his ability to hit high speeds can catch the batsmen by surprise. On Indian and Sri Lankan pitches which tend to produce a low bounce, Ajmal will be expected to have a high success rate.
Younis Khan: Just a few months ago, it seemed that Khan's international career is all but over. Now, after his comeback, he has become an integral part of the team set up. His role is to steady the innings in the middle overs and he has shown over the years that he is capable of playing the anchor role for his team. If Mohammad Yousaf fails to make it to the side, Younis responsibility in the middle order will significantly increase.
Pakistan World Cup Team:
- Mohammad Hafeez
- Salman Butt
- Mohammad Yousuf
- Younis Khan
- Umer Akmal
- Kamran Akmal
- Shahid Afridi
- Abdul Razzaq
- Saeed Ajmal
- Mohammad Aamir
- Shoaib Akhtar
- Mohammad Asif
- Umer Gul
