3 Reasons that make Pakistan a serious contender to win the 2019 World Cup
Love them. Hate them. But don’t make the mistake of underestimating the Pakistani cricket team. Pakistan, as we all know, are a team that bring a lot of X-factor into their game. They seldom start off as pre-tournament favorites. It’s their aggressive brand of cricket which keeps them in contention until the very end.
It was Pakistan that came into the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 as an 8th ranked team but managed to beat the 2nd ranked India by 180 runs in the finals. Their 1999 team lacked the fire-power in their batting but still made it to the finals of the Cricket World Cup. And lastly, who could forget the heroics of their current prime minister and then captain of the side, Imran Khan, when he inspired his men to fight as ‘cornered tigers’ in the 1992 Cricket World Cup.
Imran’s men didn’t let him down and fought tooth and nail to earn the tag of world champions. These feats were never easy to achieve. Pakistan has always been a side known to turn the tables on the opposition when least expected.
If you think India, England, New Zealand, and South Africa are going to be the semi-finalists of the 2019 Cricket World Cup, then these 3 reasons are going to make you think otherwise.
#1 Standout performances in England
The 2019 Cricket World Cup will be hosted in England. It is the same nation where Pakistan made it to the finals in the 1999 Cricket World Cup against Australia. They lost the finals but the Wasim Akram led team displayed a strong character throughout the tournament.
Amongst all sub-continent teams that toured England in the recent past, Pakistan hold the most promising record. The Sarfraz Ahmed led team managed to level the test series 1-1 which indicates their high level of awareness when it comes to playing in English conditions. Their historic win over India at the Champions Trophy 2017 could well be a preview of what the Pakistan team is likely to throw in 2019. Also, their coach Mickey Arthur has done a fabulous job by working closely with Sarfraz Ahmed to help Pakistan become the No. 1 side in Test matches and T20s.