Osman Samiuddin

Much about the way these two teams have arrived at this juncture suggests that we could have a repeat of last year's tense semi-final between South Africa and Pakistan. In reality nothing stands further from the truth

Fast bowling has been Pakistan's trump card, their national obsession, and a resource they have never been short of. Which men make it to the final XI?

Cricinfo previews the Super Eights match between Pakistan and South Africa in St Lucia

A modern great, a complete package, a natural, and a fighter feature in our wicketkeeper shortlist for Pakistan

Australia began to right previous wrongs in this format with an emphatic dismantling of the defending champions at St Lucia, a 34-run win serving serious notice to one and all of their intentions in this tournament

Pakistan began their title defence with a hard-earned victory against Bangladesh at St Lucia

Cricinfo previews the Group A match between Pakistan and Bangladesh in St Lucia

Everybody starts from scratch again, except the defending champions who do so with more pressure as a result of that status

Pakistan were never short of allrounders. Imran Khan would be the overwhelming choice but there are four others, all also captains, in this shortlist

Wasim Akram was a triumph of the imagination. He broadened the scope of what could be done in his art with talent and hard work and left fast bowling unrecognisable from what it was before him

Pakistan's selectors have recommended that Mohammad Sami and Abdul Rehman replace the injured Umar Gul and Yasir Arafat in the World Twenty20 squad

The country's greatest batsman, the gutsiest, a dashing rescuer, and others make up the middle-order shortlist

Defending champions Pakistan suffered a major blow less than a fortnight from the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean when Umar Gul and Yasir Arafat were both officially ruled out of the tournament

Haroon Lorgat, the ICC CEO, spoke exclusively to Cricinfo about Pakistan's situation and the ICC taskforce working with the PCB to alleviate the board's plight

Haroon Lorgat's visit to Pakistan is attracting interest because it comes after a year in which Pakistan's position on the cricket map has gradually been edged out

Shahid Afridi and Younis Khan have filed official appeals against the punishments handed out to them by the PCB last month

Pakistan's preparations for the ICC World Twenty20 received a boost in Lahore, where Umar Gul bowled his first overs in a week as he began his recovery from an injury

Danish Kaneria, the Pakistan legspinner, has denied any involvement in the "match irregularities" that Essex police are investigating following what is believed to be a televised Pro40 game during the last English season

Opening has been one of Pakistan's most thorny problems - which is not to say that there haven't been fine, even great, openers in the team's history

Shahid Afridi has written to the PCB chairman asking him to reconsider the fine imposed on him by a committee for ball-tampering during the fifth ODI against Australia in February this year