They made as many as seven changes in their first five matches and opened their bowling with four different pairs in them. It wasn't before their seventh game - against New Zealand - that they played the same line-up in two consecutive matches.
But once their team sheet started to feature the same XI, Pakistan sealed thrillers and rolled over oppositions. Heroes were born every match and it seemed that the stars had aligned for them to repeat the 1992 World Cup campaign - in quite the same way.
Prior to their match against Afghanistan, Pakistan bowling coach, Azhar Mahmood, mentioned that the team management sought consistency in selection. It resulted in Pakistan playing the same lineup for their last four matches - something they had never done before in a World Cup - and register four wins on the trot. After their nine games, Pakistan were level with New Zealand on points, but they lagged behind the Blackcaps on the NRR which saw the latter progress to the next round.
What pulled them back?A trouncing against the West Indies followed by superficial decision-making
Their tournament opener lasted almost three hours and threw their NRR into an abyss. coach Mickey Arthur, after Pakistan's last match of the tournament, admitted that it was next to impossible to improve the metric after that defeat.
They, however, displayed the very traits of 'cornered tigers' from time to time to pounce back whenever they found themselves up against the wall. Their 105 all out against the West Indies followed a 348 for 8 against the tournament favourites, England. The defeat against India produced an incredible win-streak.
But, it was between these two highs they touched nadir - because of their faulty decision-making. They found themselves wandering against Australia after benching Shadab Khan, which not only deprived them of crucial leg-spin on a tacky surface but also depleted their batting and fielding departments. They ignored the fragility of their batting lineup and took on the scoreboard pressure, despite their Prime Minister advising otherwise, in a high-profile match against India. And, persisted with Shoaib Malik, despite a dip in his form, in three crucial matches which kept them from playing the fifth specialist bowler.
What did they sorely miss? Rather, who - Steve Rixon.
In his 15-month tenure with the Pakistan side, which ended before their tour of Zimbabwe last year, Pakistan had erupted as the best fielding unit. They caught almost everything that came their way and converted half run-out chances into wickets.
But, they missed run-outs (against India in the first powerplay to put an end to what later turned out to be a massive first-wicket stand) and dropped catches (Aaron Finch and David Warner) at the most crucial stages. These chances had the potential to yield crucial points.
Their fielding was even abysmal in the matches that they won: against South Africa, they grassed as many as seven chances.
Best player:Shaheen Afridi edges out Babar Azam
It is tough, especially for the younger ones, for the bowlers from the subcontinent to calibrate their lengths according to the demands of the England wickets. It reflected from his below-par returns against England in the one-day series - due to which he was discarded for the earlier World Cup matches. He was dropped again for leaking 70 against Australia despite removing Glenn Maxwell and David Warner.
But, it was when the 19-year-old name started to appear regularly on the team sheet, he showed the world what Pakistan had been missing. His incisive length bowling with the new ball and foxy variations with the older one garnered him 14 wickets in the last four matches. Against Bangladesh, he became the youngest bowler to register a world cup five-fer. And, since that match was at Lord's, he also made it to the most sought after honours board.
After match 43 of the World Cup, Afridi was at the sixth spot on the table for the bowlers with most wickets. Jofra Archer with 17 wickets in nine matches sat above him, Afridi had one less in just five matches. And, that he had better average (14.62) and strike rate (17.6) from those above him - which included the likes of Mitchell Starc, Mustafizur Rehman, and Mohammad Amir - speaks volumes of his talent.
Disappointing players: Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez
Pakistan were banking big time on the experience of these two men to carry the burden if and when the younger ones got overwhelmed by the occasion. It turned out to be the other way round.
Despite a dip in his form over the last two years and a paltry record in England, Malik was put on the plane to England for what was his last 50-over outing in Pakistan colours. He made only eight runs in three matches - of which the last two were ducks, two-ball against Australia and the first ball against India. It also worked against Pakistan's combinations as they couldn't play the fifth specialist bowler with Malik holding that spot.
Hafeez kept the flow of runs in check with the ball in hand, but regularly broke down after getting decent starts with the bat since his 84 against England. What drew ire was how the veteran all-rounder threw away his wicket to part-timers and at critical junctures while looking for glory shots.
What's on the highlights reel?
Ah, that's a tough one! There have been some outstanding individual performances. Mohammad Amir's first-ever ODI five-fer, Haris Sohail's 59-ball 89 against South Africa, Babar Azam's century against New Zealand, Shaheen Afridi's six wickets against Bangladesh or Imad Wasim setting up Pakistan's win over Afghanistan in the 46th over of the run chase.
And then, there have been incredible team efforts like against England, New Zealand, and Bangladesh.
But for me, it has to be Afridi's 3 for 28 against New Zealand. The left-armer bowled immaculate lengths to account for the scalps of Colin Munro, Ross Taylor, and Tom Latham in a single burst of seven overs - which had three maidens and gave away only 11 runs - at the start of the match. That, for me, was a perfect encapsulation of how to exploit the English conditions earlier in the day with a white ball in hand.
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