SWOT analysis of Pakistan cricket team ahead of 2023 ODI World Cup 

The Pakistan Cricket team have arrived in India for the first time in seven years. They had a disappointing outing in the 2023 Asia Cup, but the Men in Green were recently ranked as the No. 1 ODI team, making them one of the favourites to win the 2023 World Cup. Pakistan have never won the prestigious event since their triumph in the 1992 edition, but this time they have a strong batting and bowling unit that could upset other cricketing giants.

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In the first warm-up match against New Zealand, Babar Azam and Co. piled up 345 runs but lost by five wickets. They will face Australia on Tuesday before starting their 2023 World Cup tour against the Netherlands at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on October 6. As Pakistan aims for a strong outing in the land of arch-rivals, let's have a look at their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

SWOT Analysis of Team Pakistan

Strengths - Formidable pace attack, Decent batting unit 

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Pakistan's spin department may look weak, but they have a lethal fast-bowling unit that can tear apart any top-class batting order. With the likes of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, and Mohammad Wasim, they will be a nightmare for the opposition. While Afridi will give a strong start with his left-arm swing in the powerplay, Rauf will trouble the batters with his sheer pacer and bouncers. Hasan's experience and versatility will add strength to their pace attack.

The batting unit, led by No. 1 ODI batter Babar Azam, will also be a key factor in Pakistan's World Cup journey. Their opener Imam-ul-Haq, who is ranked 5th in the batting rankings, power-hitter Iftikhar Ahmed and wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan have also been in good form. In the first warm-up match, Babar scored a half-century while his most trusted partner Rizwan notched up a brilliant century. Saud Shakeel and Agha Salman also made valuable contributions.

Weaknesses - Below-par spin attack, Inconsistent and out-of-form top order

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While Pakistan's pace attack is praised, their spin bowling unit is a concern for them. All-rounder Shadab Khan will lead the spinners but he himself has not been in good form recently. Bowling all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir and batting all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed will be rolling their arms in the middle overs. The lack of a specialist spinner will surely hurt them as the Indian pitches favour spin.

Pakistan have quality batters but their inconsistency has been a headache for the management. Opener Imam-ul-Haq and skipper Babar also fall into this category, which was very evident in the recently concluded Asia Cup. Babar scored 151 runs against Nepal but after that, his bat didn't do the talking throughout the tournament. Left-handed opener Fakhar Zaman has also looked terrific with his bat in recent times.

Opportunities - Clinch the coveted title after 30 years

Pakistan have a great opportunity to end their 30-year drought of winning the ODI World Cup. The 1992 champions will fancy their chances as conditions in India will be similar to those in Pakistan. Moreover, winning a World Cup in India will add extra joy to their celebrations.

Threats - Dismal record against India, Inexperienced squad

Host nation India are the prime candidate to win the tournament. However, Pakistan have a poor ODI World Cup record against them. The arch-rivals have met 12 times at the marquee event, with the Men in Blue having the last laugh on all occasions. It's an insane record for India and Pakistan needs to break this streak this time to have a successful campaign.

Nine of Pakistan's 15 players will make their World Cup debut in the upcoming event. In a high-octane tournament, not only skills and talent matter but also the ability to handle pressure.

Pakistan squad for 2023 ODI World Cup: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim.