T20 World Cup 2021: 3 reasons why Pakistan are a dangerous opposition and can't be taken lightly

They might be a bit undercooked, they might not have the best ball-strikers in their ranks and their spinners might be a bit out of form too, but Pakistan, on their day, could be the most dangerous team in the upcoming T20 World Cup.

The reason? Well, unpredictability is their forte. Often in ICC tournaments, Pakistan start as one of the favorites, lose a few games, and change their status to underdogs. And it's the latter phase that brings out the best in them.

This year is different. Not many are betting on Babar Azam's team to even reach the semi-finals. There is a nascent coaching set-up in place in the shape of Matthew Hayden (batting) and Vernon Philander (bowling) who have to do the uneasy task of coaching some players who not long ago used to be their opponents. They haven't had much preparation in the lead-up to the tournament either.

Everything points to a position where the Men in Green already have their backs against the wall. Whether they'll jump off it or simply break the wall is anybody's guess. But they surely won't stay put. That's what makes them dangerous.

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T20 World Cup 2021: 3 reasons why Pakistan can't be taken lightly

Pakistan will start their T20 World Cup 2021 campaign against arch-rivals India on Sunday. They'll also clash with New Zealand, Afghanistan, and two yet-to-be-decided teams in their bid for a semi-final spot. Below, we discuss some technical and not-so-technical reasons why Pakistan are a side to be wary of in the tournament.

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#1 Best-in-class openers

Pakistan's core strength lies at the top. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are the only opening pair in this T20 World Cup that are part of the top-10 in the ICC rankings for T20I batters.

The duo have so far scored 521 runs together from 10 innings at an average of 52.10 which is the best among all the 46 pairs that have opened for Pakistan in the T20Is. Azam and Rizwan have two century stands and a half-century one to their name already as well.

They have scored at a run rate of 9.16 which is better than any other combination that has played five games together for Pakistan. For good measure, their average is also better than any other opening pair from the top-eight teams in the T20 World Cup prefecture.

Since joining hands, at least one of them has more often than not played a major role in Pakistan's wins. With their complementary skillset, the duo veil their team's rather papery middle order too.

The only criticism they have courted in these 10 games is regarding their strike rate. But Pakistan will play two of their league-stage games in Sharjah, a venue that will suit their style well. The message is clear for all teams - get Babar and Rizwan out early and your job is half done. But if you fail, they'll make you pay.

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#2 Fastest pace battery

Not only is it one of the best opening combinations, but Pakistan also boast the fastest pace battery in the prefecture. Shaheen Afridi (30 T20Is, 32 wickets at 27.41), Hasan Ali (41 T20Is, 52 wickets at 21.73) and Haris Rauf (23 matches, 28 wickets at 25.07) are a fearsome combo rife with variety and experience.

In all three venues in the UAE - Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi - pacers have been statistically more successful than spinners in the last two seasons of the IPL. Even in the second half of the UAE leg of IPL 2021, every franchise had at least one express pacer in their ranks and the returns were palpably positive.

Anrich Nortje for Delhi Capitals, Lockie Ferguson for Kolkata Knight Riders, Mohammed Siraj for Royal Challengers Bangalore and Jasprit Bumrah for Mumbai Indians all played a similar role. Pakistan here have three such quicks.

If they can bring their variations to good use and the Pakistani spinners can back them by not leaking too many runs, this trio could win the Men in Green a few games.

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#3 A hunger to prove themselves

While on-paper resources and on-field execution are the most important ingredients for any sporting team, a strong off-field backdrop could prove just as crucial if applied to use correctly. Some of India's Test teams' most famous wins in Australia and England, too, had such backgrounds to them.

In Pakistan's case, there's general anger among the public regarding the tour cancelations from New Zealand and England. The players, individually, will also have points to prove in the tournament.

A good performance in his debut ICC tournament as captain will get Azam off the hook of a section of the media who have been critical of him in the recent past. Veterans Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik want to justify their selection and so will Haidar Ali and Sarfaraz Ahmed. The new coaches will want to be among the few to hold on to their jobs, and so will the PCB chief, Ramiz Raja.

A team playing for more than just cricket demands slightly more careful handling than others. India, New Zealand, Afghanistan and others will take Pakistan lightly at their own peril.