Pakistan Strengths and Weaknesses Leading up to the Champions Trophy-The Verdict from Shastri and Ponting

Going into the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, Pakistan do not look behind as they play at home; plus, one has to appreciate the strength that their pace unit will be packing. Despite Saim Ayub being absent opener, former Indian head coach, Ravi Shastri looks optimistic about this Pakistan team looking to take leads in this championships. The defending champions will be appearing at this tournament full of confidence because of recently being able to win two successive series of One-day Internationals against South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Australia.

Shastri comments on the form Pakistan has shown in their last couple of series, making them a significant threat to this Champions Trophy:. He noted that the team’s recent performances in white-ball cricket, particularly in South Africa, have shown their ability to put up strong challenges against top teams. Despite Ayub's injury that has a big hole at the top order, Shastri thought Pakistan's depth made them dangerous, especially at home. He said that Pakistan would reach the semis and further added that once they get into the knockout stage, anything can happen.

Pace Bowlers-Game-Changer for Pakistan

The best strength of Pakistan is their scaring fast bowling lineup. The players like Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, and Mohammad Hasnain give a lethal combination that has troubled several top teams in recent series. Australia's cricket legend Ricky Ponting echoed Shastri's sentiments, pointing out the quality of Pakistan's pace attack. According to Ponting, Afridi and Shah, who have been in top form, bring the necessary pace and skill to cause havoc among opposition batting line-ups.

Ponting also touched on Ayub’s absence, acknowledging that his loss is significant, but he is confident that Pakistan’s overall depth will cover the gap. He noted that the presence of a strong bowling attack gives Pakistan the chance to challenge any batting side, especially in the conditions they know best.

Babar Azam’s Form and the Importance of Key Players

Pakistan will still be carried by their top-order batsmen, especially Babar Azam, who happens to be skipper. Even though he performed well in the South Africa stint, his recent form has not been great at all. Therefore, if they are to succeed in the Champions Trophy, they will need it from Azam and Mohammad Rizwan going forward. Such performances at the top can get them out of a tight hole.

And also, Ponting admitted that this home crowd was going to exert pressure on his team. There is a silver lining to a passionate crowd-it creates immense pressure, but extra motivation is on the other hand. For Pakistan, with the faithful supporters cheering for them behind, the home crowd could very well be that push in a crucial moment that they needed most when the situation was at pressure.

A Fine Balance-Conditions at Home and Pressure

Home condition will see both benefits and downsides of playing. The side gets to know the pitch pattern and weather conditions, which is an added benefit, while the pressure from home fans can be too much. According to Shastri, handling such a situation will define the success for Pakistan. With the depth of the team and experienced coaching staff, they are up for the task of turning it all around into a driving force.

Looking Ahead-The Group Stage Challenges

Pakistan’s Champions Trophy journey will begin with a challenging encounter against New Zealand in Karachi on February 19. This will be followed by a high-voltage clash against archrivals India in Dubai on February 23. These matches will test Pakistan's resolve and their ability to rise to the occasion, especially with the added pressure of playing in front of a home crowd in the early stages.

With such big-ticket players in the tournament, everyone will be glued to the screen as the tournament progresses with Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan. But with a very well-balanced side, they are explosive fast bowlers, have batmen who have seen games, and the real test will come in high-pressure games.

Conclusion-A Perilous Team on Home Soil

In a nutshell, Pakistan's performance at the Champions Trophy will vary with how they make the most of their strength points-fasting bowling and playing under pressure. Having an enormous bench strength, with the talent of a player like Afridi and Rizwan, they have it in them to make it into the last stages of the tournament. But that will depend on their staying and getting on with the consistency of key players like Azam and getting the challenges of playing in front of passionate fans. According to Shastri and Ponting, if Pakistan reaches the semis, they'll be good opponents for anyone.