Abrar Ahmed, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz in clockwise direction. (AP photos)
Uncertainty has long been Pakistan’s World Cup calling card. Rarely do they arrive with a clear method to disrupt one. In Lahore last week, Salman Agha’s side looked nearly set to channel momentum into the T20 World Cup, having blanked Australia 3–0 and presented a spin-heavy template.
When the spotlight rests on the six-hitting frenzy in India, Pakistan could have slipped into the tournament as its on-field disruptors, armed with a diminishing T20 trait for the turners in Sri Lanka. But by announcing a boycott of India in the group stage six days out from the tournament, Pakistan embraced uncertainty again, surrendering two points.
Undue pressure isn’t exactly their forte, and it remains a tough task to decipher what Pakistan could produce with their backs against the wall.
Despite their vaunted pace attack at the 2022 World Cup, Pakistan faltered by one run against Zimbabwe after losing to India in the Super 12. They were in the final 15 days later. In 2024, it was an embarrassment to begin with, losing to the USA by Super Over before suffering a six-run defeat to India. They were on a plane home the following week.
United States’ Noshtush Kenjige, right without cap, celebrates with a teammate after the dismissal of Pakistan’s Azam Khan during 2024 T20 World Cup. (FILE photo)
With a schedule favorable to their strengths, the boycott will put Pakistan in the gauntlet of facing Namibia, the Netherlands, and the USA in Group A. The batting squadron continues to fall on middling lines, but for an assortment of spinners in their ranks, there is merit in plotting Pakistan as dark horses on the sticky Lankan strips.
In mystery man Abrar Ahmed, offie Saim Ayub, who operates with the new ball, and all-rounders Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz, Pakistan bring a spin quartet that could stand on par with India and Afghanistan. They can expand the arsenal if they reel in the “two-elbowed” slinger-spinner, Usman Tariq, as they did in their last match in Lahore.
When India belted their second-highest T20I score (271/5) against New Zealand in Thiruvananthapuram last Saturday, Pakistan’s spin quintet stubbed Australia to a 90-run defeat. Defending 198 at the Gaddafi Stadium, the spinners combined for 14.4 overs and snapped up all 10 wickets. In men’s T20Is involving Full-Member teams, it was only the second instance in history where spinners had bagged all 10 wickets. India had similarly bowled out West Indies in 2022, with three spinners producing every dismissal.
Having played all of their T20Is in similar subcontinent conditions since the start of the Asia Cup in September 2025, Pakistan are likely to deploy the strategy throughout the World Cup and paper over the batting cracks.
Pakistan spinners have been the most frugal bunch in this period. Averaging 16.06 for 95 wickets with a 6.28 economy, they have edged out Afghanistan and India on both fronts. While the Indian spin attack boasts the best strike rate (13.8) heading into the World Cup, Pakistan are within arm’s length, striking roughly every 15 deliveries.
|
Pakistan spinners since Sept 2025 |
Innings |
Wickets |
Econ |
Avg |
SR |
|
In Powerplay |
14 |
18 |
7.82 |
17.39 |
13.33 |
|
In Middle-Overs |
23 |
54 |
7.8 |
18.41 |
14.17 |
|
In death overs |
10 |
7 |
7.24 |
14.14 |
11.71 |
With their batting opener Ayub even doubling up as an unlikely Powerplay enforcer with the ball, Pakistan have bowled more spin in the first six overs than any other team in the last six months. Ayub has collected 10 of Pakistan’s 48 Powerplay wickets, emerging as the most successful spinner up front in the world in this period. With Nawaz, Abrar, and the others manning the middle-overs, their versatile attack has been as effective in the phase as India, with negligible strike rate differences. Another factor that could heighten the threat on the island is the spin pack’s conjoined ability to relay slower speeds with sharper efficacy than their Indian counterparts.
Outside the India clash at the Premadasa Stadium, a venue where the average first-innings score has lurked in the mid-120s since 2020, Pakistan will play their three other group games at the iconic Sinhalese Sports Club, just six kilometers away. Intriguingly, this will be the first time T20I cricket will be played at the venue since two games on successive days in February 2010. The strips here have consistently shifted from a run-flowing past to conspicuous spin in this time.
As most of the top-ranked teams shuttle between varying conditions in India and Sri Lanka in the tournament, Pakistan can continue to build on the spin-bowling core and unsettle oppositions. Even the red-hot Indians will be forced to make adjustments if they are to take on Pakistan in the knockouts, a situation that will push their games out from Mumbai/Ahmedabad to the tacky Colombo pitches.
For Pakistan, pressure will be constant, as will the suspense over which version turns up on match day. When the Dutchmen march in for the opener on Saturday morning, Pakistan could arrive with a spin-heavy sauce that will be no secret, keen to drag the game on the field onto their terms.
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