T20 World Cup: Pakistan odds, fixtures, key players, T20 World Cup record

Pakistan were beaten by England in the final of the 2022 T20 World Cup and they will be hoping to go one better in June's tournament in the West Indies and the USA.

Ace batsman Babar Azam has been reinstated as captain and the 2009 T20 world champions have a dangerous array of pace bowlers and spinners in white-ball cricket. 

Pakistan T20 World Cup odds

To Win Outright - 8/1
Group Betting - 9/4

Pakistan T20 World Cup fixtures

USA v Pakistan, 16:30, Thursday 6th June, Grand Prairie Stadium, Grand Prairie
India v Pakistan, 15:30, Sunday 9th June, Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York
Pakistan v Canada, 15:30, Tuesday 11th June, Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York
Pakistan v Ireland, 15:30, Sunday 16th June, Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill

Pakistan captain

Babar Azam

Babar has been a runscoring machine for Pakistan in all three formats since making his international debut in 2015 and his ODI average of 56.7 marks him out as one of the best 50-over batsmen of his generation.

The 29-year-old has captained Pakistan in 76 of his 114 T20 internationals and, while his career strike-rate of 129 is modest by modern standards, his consistency and elegant strokeplay make him a key player at the top of the order.

Pakistan key players

Mohammad Rizwan

Mohammad Rizwan is in the top three of the ICC's T20 batting rankings after an ultra-consistent run of form, scoring 25 fifties and one century in 62 innings since the start of 2021. 

Rizwan, who also keeps wicket, has done most of his best work as a T20 opener. His unbeaten 79 from 55 balls powered Pakistan to a famous 10-wicket win over India in their first game of the 2021 T20 World Cup and he was named player of the match for his knock of 57 in the 2022 semi-final win over New Zealand.

Shaheen Shah Afridi

Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi also starred in the 2021 drubbing of India, dismissing openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul in his first two overs and returning to the attack to get rid of superstar Virat Kohli.

The left-armer is one of the most reliable Powerplay wicket-takers in world cricket and he was terrific at the 2022 World Cup, claiming 3-14 and 4-22 in Pakistan's last two group games and 2-24 in the semi against New Zealand before bowling Alex Hales in the first over of England's innings in the final.    

Shadab Khan

Leg-spinning all-rounder Shadab Khan made his international debut as a teenager against the West Indies in 2017 and he has lived up to his early promise.

Shadab scored a useful 20 and took 1-20 from four overs in the 2022 World Cup final, dismissing England's Harry Brook, and his quality with bat and ball balances the Pakistan T20 team nicely.

He is one of a select group of bowlers to have taken 100 wickets in T20 internationals and is also a dangerous middle-order batsman, coming in as high as number four for Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League. 

Pakistan one to watch

Saim Ayub

Young batsman Saim Ayub enjoyed an excellent 2024 PSL campaign, opening for Peshawar Zalmi alongside Pakistan captain Babar, and he has licence to attack the new ball for the national team. 

His early international stats are underwhelming – a top score of 49 from 15 innings – but he gave a glimpse of his destructive potential when smashing 27 off eight balls against New Zealand in Auckland in January. 

Pakistan All-time T20 World Cup record

Year	Performance
2007	Runners-up
2009	Winners
2010	Semi-finals
2012	Semi-finals
2014	Super 10 stage
2016	Super 10 stage
2021	Semi-finals
2022	Runners-up

Pakistan's T20 World Cup prospects

Pakistan reached the first two T20 World Cup finals, losing to India in 2007 before a victory over Sri Lanka at Lord's two years later.

Their 2024 squad will be built around a core of players who lost to England in a low-scoring final in 2022 and their well-balanced bowling attack boosts their chances of another memorable tournament.

Pakistan's second group game against India should be a cracker. They beat their powerful neighbours by 10 wickets at the 2021 T20 World Cup before a thrilling four-wicket defeat in Melbourne in 2022. 

A slow scoring rate is a concern for Pakistan backers as senior batsmen Babar and Rizwan have T20 career strike-rates of only 129 and 127 but they have to be respected after reaching the semi-finals in six of the first eight T20 World Cups. 

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.