Patchy and inconsistent

Pakistan have had varied results in the eight World Cups so far. Though they won in 1992 and reached the final in 1999, they've also had their share of reverses, the most embarrassing of which was a 62-run loss to Bangladesh in 1999. Overall, their win-loss ratio of 1.31 (29 wins, 22 losses) only puts them in sixth place, behind Australia, South Africa, West Indies, England and India. (Click here for their stats in each World Cup, and here for more detailed World Cup stats on Pakistan.)

Their recent ODI record is patchy as well, with nine wins and an equal number of losses in their last 20 ODIs (two games were abandoned). Their lack of consistency is also reflected in the fact that they haven't won or lost more than two games in a row during this period.

What's more encouraging, though, is their recent form in the West Indies. Their overall win-loss record of 9-11 isn't very encouraging, but take a closer look and you'll notice that they had lost each of their first eight matches. Since then, they've enjoyed far more success, winning seven of the last ten, and they'll go into their opening game against the hosts on a four-match winning streak in the Caribbean.

Like West Indies, Pakistan's recent form suggests they are much happier chasing a target than setting one. In fact, the numbers are startlingly similar to West Indies' - in their last 20 ODIs, they've only won one out of seven when batting first; when chasing, though, Pakistan have won eight times and lost just four. With the two teams drawn up to play the tournament opener on March 13, it's a safe bet that the team winning the toss will insert the opposition.

Unlike West Indies, who have struggled more with bat than ball in matches when they've set a target, Pakistan's primary culprits have been the bowlers. Rana Naved-ul-Hasan has been quite profligate in either innings, but his wicket-taking abilities fall alarmingly when bowling second - an average of 120 runs per wicket at an economy rate of 7.22 runs per over is hardly the kind of numbers which Inzamam-ul-Haq would have expected from one of his primary bowlers. Rao Iftikhar Anjum and Umar Gul have struggled too, and while Mohammad Sami's numbers while bowling second are much better, he has only played five matches during this period.

Where Rana Naved is extremely useful, though, is in keeping things under control during the frenzied last few overs. An earlier Numbers Game column had pointed out Naved's amazing wicket-taking ability in the last ten, and the table below further reinforces the fact that Inzamam and the rest of the Pakistan think-tank would do well to keep the new ball out of his hands, and instead use him almost exclusively as a slog-overs bowler. Note also the performances of all the slower bowlers - Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi - during the slog: they are all options that could come in handy for Inzamam.

Pakistan's primary task will be to sort out their top-order batting - the opening, especially, has been a worry for a while, and the options that they have in their 15-man squad aren't especially encouraging. In their last 20 matches Pakistan have used nine different opening pairs, and their first-choice combination for the tournament - Mohammad Hafeez and Imran Nazir - have batted together just once, against South Africa at Johannesburg, with Hafeez being dismissed for a sixth-ball duck.

The table below lists the average partnerships for and against Pakistan in the last 20 ODIs: the first four wickets for Pakistan average a total of just 118, compared to the opposition's 156. That Pakistan's average ninth-wicket stand is the third-highest among all wickets indicates just how much they rely on their lower order.

With the openers in poor form, the onus of getting the runs has rested on the three middle-order heavyweights, Mohammad Yousuf, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Younis Khan. Shoaib Malik has contributed usefully, but Kamran Akmal and Shahid Afridi have both been disappointing.

Not surprisingly, Pakistan struggle in the first 20 overs with the bat - they average only 4.15 runs per over, and 23.25 runs per wicket. The opposition, on the other hand, score at 4.68 per over, while their runs per wicket is a much healthier 35.

Despite a lower order filled with biffers, Pakistan only average 6.52 runs per over in the last ten, slightly lower than what the opposition teams have managed against them (6.55).