Who will be in Pakistan’s ICC Cricket World Cup team?

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Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan plays a shot during the Asia Cup 2023

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Pakistan have not travelled to India since 2012-2013, and while they are not likely to have fans inside the stadium, that does not detract from how big the event will be across the border.

While not officially the national sport in Pakistan, that has been hockey, it is hard to walk through a park on a day off without seeing hundreds of people of all ages, and anything resembling bat and ball emulating their heroes.

For the national side, they will want to impress not only in India but on cricket’s biggest stage, after unconvincing performances during the Asia Cup.

In the last 50-over World Cup back in 2019, Pakistan narrowly missed out on qualification for the knockout rounds, finishing level on points with fourth-placed New Zealand who went on to become tournament runners up, but behind them on net run rate.

But the nation has a rich cricketing history in the format and in the sport, especially when they lifted the trophy in 1992, beating England in the final in Australia. It was a side that contained some of the biggest names in the sport, Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Javed Miandad and Inzamam-ul-Haq.

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More recently, Pakistan cricket has struggled on the international scene, in part due to the lengthy absence of touring sides due to the political situation. In 2009 a Sri Lanka team bus was attacked in Lahore, and no international side toured the country until Zimbabwe in 2015, while England did not return until November 2022.

Babar Azam’s team will want to impress on the biggest stage. But the side’s chances of success were dealt a blow during the Asia Cup when Naseem Shah sustained a problematic shoulder injury that was more serious than feared and could see him ruled out for the entire tournament.

Haris Rauf did not take part in the Asia cup, but the Pakistan Cricket Board has since posted videos of the fast bowler training and he is expected to play a part in the tournament even if he is not fit for the start.

Provisional squad:

Babar Azam (captain) (batter)

Shadab Khan

Fakhar Zaman

Imam-ul-Haq

Salman Ali Agha

Iftikhar Ahmed

Mohammad Rizwan

Saud Shakeel

Imad Wasim

Shaheen Shah Afridi

Haris Rauf

Usama Mir

Zaman Khan

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Arshad Iqbal

Hassan Ali

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