Pakistan at Cricket World Cup Player by Player Analysis

Pakistan at Cricket World Cup Player by Player Analysis: Pakistan has announced its 15-man World Cup squad. Misbah-ul-Haq will be serving as the leader of the team while legendary Shahid Afridi will be his vice-captain. There were numerous speculations on who should be in and who should be out? The biggest problem was the position of no. 6 and the inclusion of an all-rounder who could fight alongside Shahid Afridi.

Misbah-ul-Haq will be serving as the leader of the team while legendary Shahid Afridi will be his vice-captain. (Photo Source : ZeeNews.India).

Many names were in circulation which included former Pakistan Captain Shoaib Malik and the newbie Anwar Ali and Bilawal Bhatti. Asad Shafiq was also in contention after performing so well in the on-going Pentangular Cup. Veteran Kamran Akmal was thought to make a comeback but none of the mentioned made it to the final 15.
Fans of a specific country are very vigorous about their team’s chances in mega-events. A team’s prospect to win rests in its player’s individual performances. Like drop by drop makes a pool, player by player makes a collective team effort. We have combined the meticulous data of Pakistan’s representation at the World Cup. The stats include each player’s contribution in Australia and New Zealand as well as in previous world cups.
Most experienced in Australia/New Zealand: Shahid Afridi – 41 matches
Most experienced in World Cups:  Shahid Afridi – 20 matches

Players	Performance in AUS/NZ			Performance in WCs
	Matches	Runs	Wickets	Matches	Runs		Wickets
Misbah-ul-Haq	5	203	-	8	248		-
Ahmed Shehzad	5	188	-	5		44	-
Mohammad Hafeez	12	241	8	10		230	11
Younis Khan	15	262	-	16		306	0
Haris Sohail	First Experience			First Experience
Sohaib Maqsood	First Experience			First Experience
Shahid Afridi	41	891	45	20		209	28
Umar Akmal	11	281	-	7		240	-
Sarfraz Ahmed	1	6	-	First Experience
Ehsan Adil	First Experience			First Experience
Yasir Shah	First Experience			First Experience
Wahab Riaz	4	3	8	5		8	8
Mohammad Irfan	First Experience			First Experience
Junaid Khan	First Experience			First Experience
Sohail Khan	First Experience			First Experience

As many as 8 players will be making their World Cup Debut this year while Shahid Afridi will be playing his 5^th World Cup. Younis Khan will be playing his forth World Cup and Mohammad Hafeez will be playing his 3^rd WC. Captain Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar Akmal will be playing their 2^nd World Cup.

Kamran Akmal May Make it to Pakistan World Cup Squad

Karachi: Discarded wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal could be a surprise inclusion in Pakistan's final World Cup squad after he continued his rich vein of batting form in the final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Gold league at the National Stadium here.

Kamran, out of favour with the selectors in the one-day format since the Champions Trophy in England last year, was unbeaten on 131 on the fourth day of the five-day final for his team, National Bank against Sui Northern Gas, which is close to completing a hat-trick of Quaid Trophy titles.
"Kamran is in serious consideration for the final World Cup squad but not as a wicketkeeper but as a specialist batsman," a source close to the national selection committee said.
The source said that another wicketkeeper, Peshawar's Muhammad Rizwan, who also scored a superb 224 in the final, is also in the contention as the selectors had included him and Kamran in the preliminary squad of 30 probables.
"Rizwan has also scored big runs this season in the Quaid Trophy and is under consideration, although Kamran's previous experience in international cricket could win him the nod from the selectors for the position of the third opener in the side after Ahmed Shehzad and Muhammad Hafeez," the source said.
"Kamran, if selected, however will not be the first choice wicketkeeper as this position is now held by Sarfaraz Ahmed," the source added. He said Kamran had impressed the selectors with his innings yesterday in the final, with chief selector Moin Khan also present at the stadium to watch his unbeaten innings.
"Earlier also in the tournament he has scored a heap of runs, including a career best 275 to help National Bank qualify for the final and he could be a surprise recall for the World Cup as the third opener," the source insisted. He said head coach Waqar Younis and manager Moin Khan were aware of the fact that Kamran had previous experience of not only playing in the World Cup but also in Australia and New Zealand, the two venues where 2015 World Cup will be held.
"But the final nod for Kamran will come depending on whether he continues his purple patch in the Pentangular one-day Cup, which begins from December 31. The selectors will be closely watching the performance of some players including Kamran in the tournament after which the selectors plan to announce their final World Cup squad on January 7," the source added.