Asia Cup 2023 Update!! Pakistan entered this Asia Cup not only as the hosts, but as the Number 1 ranked side in ODI cricket. Now when you are the top-ranked side, you are expected to have all bases covered with regards to batting, bowling and fielding. Entering the tournament, Pakistan did have certain questions and issues to ponder upon but after clinically dispatching Bangladesh in the first game of the Super Four stage, Pakistan have well and truly underlined their credentials as the favourites to go ahead and win it all.

So why are they considered favorites in this tournament? It’s simple really. Pakistan have the best pace attack in this tournament, and arguably the best pace attack in world cricket at the moment. The pace triumvirate of the reinvigorated Shaheen Afridi, the relentless Naseem Shah and the ferocious pace of Haris Rauf are a stark recall to the halcyon days of the Pakistan pace attack of the early 90s.

If Shaheen does not get you, Naseem will. And if by chance you evade Naseem, then Rauf will surely get you. In The group game vs India at Kandym they made Asia Cup history by becoming the first side to have all 10 wickets of the opposition taken by their pacers. All they need is a competitive score to defend, and defend they will.

The biggest question that was irking Pakistan ahead of the tournament was the fragility of their middle order and the inability of it to put runs on the board in tough situations. However, after 3 games, even that issue has seemed to be resolved by a raft of contributions from the players.

Ifthikar Ahmed’s 100 vs Nepal, coupled with solid contributions from Rizwan and Shadab have ensured that Pakistan have had reliable contributors at numbers 4,5 and 6. With India up next however, Pakistan will have to ensure that this newfound solidity of their middle order stays on against an equally talented if not superior bowling attack.

The Stage Is Set For Pakistan To Win The Asia Cup 2023; But Can They Actually Perform When It Matters!?

To add to that, the weather in Sri Lanka isn’t favouring the other nations. Pakistan, the host nation, has smartly played a match at home, where the pitches are dead, the conditions well-known to them and the weather hot and sunny. The points that they have secured at home, could be the deciding factor at the end of the day.

To add to that, they were the finalists of the tournament, last year. It was the T20 format and Sri Lanka had the last laugh. However, the team in itself was quite impressive. They have further carried that form to the 50-over format this year.

Pakistan will no doubt fancy their chances and have so far proved that they are befitting of that number 1 spot in ODIs, but just like every other team, they do have chinks in their armor that the other teams will readily exploit. Fakhar Zaman’s lean run of form at the top of the order puts added pressure on the likes of Babar Azam and Imam ul Haq to score, which can go south if they are dismissed cheaply.

Another issue is the lack of a reliable 4th pace bowling option, which was painfully evident in the games vs India and Bangladesh, where they let the game slip from their grasp after having a vice-like grip on proceedings. And lastly, their fielding has not been the best, with casual misfields and dropped catches ruining the good work of the bowlers. However, these are issues that can be sorted on the training ground. For now, the Pakistan juggernaut just keeps rolling!!

Author Credit- Delwyn Serrao