Pakistan go pace heavy for Champions Trophy: Analyzing their squad
What's the story
Pakistan are gearing up to defend their title in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, starting February 19.
Led by Mohammad Rizwan, the team is a combination of seasoned players and new faces.
Pakistan will co-host the tournament and has been drawn in Group A with India, New Zealand, and Bangladesh.
The team's squad features several key players who have played a major role in their recent wins.
Here we analyze their squad.
Team lineup
Pakistan's squad for the tournament
Pakistan's squad for Champions Trophy: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Notably, the in-form Saim Ayub won't be playing due to an ankle injury he suffered during Pakistan's tour of South Africa.
Team strengths
Pakistan's bowling strength and batting prowess
Pakistan's bowling unit is their biggest asset, with pacers Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf likely to trouble the opposition.
Meanwhile, Abrar Ahmed is the only specialist spinner as all-rounder Salman Ali Agha will assit him.
Meanwhile, Pakistan also have a strong batting unit with Babar Azam closing in on 6,000 ODI runs at an average of 56.73.
Saud Shakeel and Fakhar Zaman are other key top-order batters for Pakistan in this tournament.
Team challenges
Pakistan's potential weaknesses in the tournament
The loss of Saim Ayub could prove to be a major blow for Pakistan, considering he was supposed to bolster their top order.
Meanwhile, Usman Khan is yet to make his ODI debut and has had an underwhelming start to his T20I career.
All these could affect the depth of Pakistan's batting lineup in the competition.
Tournament outlook
Pakistan's confidence and preparation for the tournament
Despite possible weaknesses, Pakistan must be confident about their chances in the Champions Trophy.
They have home advantage and conditions that suit their style of play.
Recent victories over Australia and South Africa have boosted their morale ahead of the tournament.
Rizwan's effective leadership is also expected to be a significant factor in guiding the team toward success in this prestigious cricket event.