The World Cup is finally here and believe it or not, Pakistan is looking in a pretty good shape to reach the semis, at least. Surely, we can go on to win it too (yes, we can!) but even if we don’t chances of getting trashed in the first round are minimal thanks to the wonderful format of the tournament. Top 8 teams are likely to reach the QF stage and from there on we need to win three games, only.

From the recent performances in New Zealand it may look like there will not be any selection surprises in terms of the eleven who take the field. However there is one spot which is still up for grabs. Let’s take a look at how the final XI will probably shape up.

Mohammad Hafeez will begin the proceedings under all circumstances not only because of his batting form but also his useful bowling and his ability to digest a lot of “praise” from the captain. Ahmed Shahzad impressed everyone in New Zealand and scored a hundred to ensure he will partner Hafeez in the WC. He’s also a wonderful fielder. Number 3 spot, or one-down will be given to Kamran Akmal, just like in NZ tour.

The next two positions where Pakistan will look to consolidate in the middle overs will be shouldered by Younis Khan and Misbah ul Haq. If either of these fail to impress, or need a break then Asad Shafiq will be given a run. Chances of all three playing in a game are minimal unless Umar Akmal or Shahzad face the axe.

Numbers 6,7,8 are the powerhouse for Pakistan. Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq. There can’t be much doubt about the lineup so far.

Now only 3 positions left and 6 bowlers to choose from. Out of these three, two will be fast men, but who? With the addition of Junaid Khan in place of Tanvir (best news ever!) we have four fast bowlers to choose from. One would think Akhtar and Gul taking preference, but what about the surprise element of Junaid Khan? Wahab Riaz has also been impressive and can handle the bat well. And the final spot to be decided among the spinners? Will we go for a spinner or use Afridi-Hafeez combo? The assumption that pitches in Sri Lanka will aid spinners may call for a specialist spinner, but then who will get a chance amongst Abdul Rehman and Saeed Ajmal? Given that Ajmal hasn’t played cricket lately and Hafeez will already be playing as a right-handed offspinner, Abdul Rehman can be preferred being left-handed. This will be hard to decide. Another important factor is the dew in D/N games. Dew will nullify spinners completely, so do we risk going with only 2 fast bowlers and Abdul Razzaq? The only other option is to use Hafeez-Afridi for spin, Abdul Razzaq for few overs and three fast bowlers (like in NZ). Again, this will probably depend on the conditions on any given day.

The batting lineup shouldn’t be tampered with. We cannot afford to drop a batsman to add another bowler. No way can that happen. Good batting until number 8 is pretty impressive but it will be really interesting to see how the bowlers are selected during the crunch games.