Key man
Misbah-ul-Haq
Misbah the captain is by default a crucial component, but it is Misbah the batsman who might be even more so. He has long been derided by his critics as being too slow, but Misbah has recently defended it by saying the approach was what the team needed. He will now, he says, bat with the freedom and verve he is capable of and there has been evidence of that in South Africa and domestically.
Why they will win it
The law of averages? Having been to six successive ICC tournament semi-finals (and triumphed in only one) surely they are bound to grab another this time? Their bowling is handy enough and this tournament could be the perfect platform for Junaid Khan to cement himself as Pakistan's coming fast-bowling hero. His pace and swing, with Mohammad Irfan's height and speed, makes the pair among the toughest opening bowlers.
Why they won't win it
Take your pick: inexperienced and ill-equipped batting, poor ground fielding and diabolical catching, generally poor discipline, it could be anything, really. When Pakistan win, it is generally in spite of themselves. Conditions, particularly if it is cold, will not be ideal for them though Pakistan's last world title came in England and they have a solid, recent ODI record there.
Squad (ODIs)
Imran Farhat 56
Nasir Jamshed 28
Mohammedd Hafeez 118
Asad Shafiq 39
Misbah-ul-Haq (capt) 117
Umar Amin 4
Shoaib Malik 213
Kamran Akmal 151
Asad Ali 1
Abdur Rehman 26
Saeed Ajmal 81
Junaid Khan 24
Ehsan Adil 2
Mohammad Irfan 11
Wahab Riaz 29
