It helps that Kenya barely lasted 30 overs on Sunday against a New Zealand side that Pakistan defeated 3-2 earlier this month to record their first ODI series win in 26 months.
Even so, Wednesday’s game is Pakistan’s first since Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were banned for spot-fixing. Pakistan could have been playing at home had it not been for the 2009 Lahore bus attack, but the players will need to set aside those disappointments quickly. If instead, they can use those blows to fire them to greater heights, they could prove unstoppable. No team fares better in adversity; alas, none is more unpredictable and inconsistent.
Having said that, Pakistan have gathered something approaching momentum in recent months and have run England and South Africa close in ODI series besides beating New Zealand. Even more encouragingly, they have displayed fighting spirit and have refused to throw in the towel even when things aren’t going their way. It is perhaps no bad thing that there are only seven players in the current side with previous World Cup experience for the team has a freshness about it, for the first time at a World Cup since 1999.
That represents Pakistan’s finest performance since the 1992 Cup triumph but the rout in the final against Australia sparked such recrimination that few have pleasant memories of that campaign. Pakistan have also reached three semi-finals, but public attention tends to focus on the 2003 and 2007 disappointments; even the 1996 event is best remembered for the quarter-final loss to India.
If Pakistan needed any further motivation to do well, they need look no further than coach Waqar Younis. The champion fast bowler missed the 1992 triumph through injury, leaked runs against India in 1996 and was a peripheral member of the 1999 squad. When he captained the side in 2003, Pakistan crashed out in the first round.
However, Pakistan have been uncharacteristically consistent at recent ICC tournaments, reaching the semi-finals or better at the last four events. There is a real energy and buzz about the current outfit and since they are almost certain to reach the quarters, all they need from that stage are three good days to emulate Imran Khan’s ‘cornered tigers’. Will they? We shall find out over the next few weeks.
Kenya would happily settle for even one good day following Sunday’s humiliation, but even that seems unlikely. The African side has played every World Cup since 1996 but they are arguably the weakest Associate country at this tournament. They seem certain to finish bottom of the group as they have done each time other than in 2003 when they reached the semi-finals in somewhat fortuitous circumstances. With the 2015 tournament being pared down to 10 teams, it could be a while before Kenya are seen at the world stage again. Pakistan appear in no mood to make it a happy farewell.
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