Security at the PCA stadium in Mohali was tightened on Monday as the Pakistan cricket team went through the grind during a practice session ahead of Tuesday's ICC World Twenty20 match against New Zealand.
Pakistan left England with their heads held high after their last two tours, drawing both, most recently under Misbah in 2018.
"The players and officials could face an angry reception on their return home to Lahore and Karachi but I think they should be prepared for this."
Their path to the semi-finals looking relatively easier in comparison, Australia will fancy their chances when they lock horns with a struggling Pakistan side whose hopes hangs by a thread in the ICC World Twenty20, in Mohali, on Friday.
It is no secret that in 2016, head coach Waqar Younis wanted Butt in the team but the then captain of white ball cricket formats, Shahid Afridi opposed having him in the team.
KL Rahul retained his third position, while India captain Virat Kohli improved a rung to the seventh spot in the ICC men's T20I Batting Rankings.
Kane Williamson hit a brilliant 123 as New Zealand staved off Pakistan's spirited challenge to eke out a series-levelling seven-run victory in the fourth one-day international in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
'I am happy that we are not favourites'
Vice captain Younis Khan and all rounder Shahid Afridi have been promoted to the top category.
Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has been accused of being non-serious throughout the Asia Cup and World Twenty20 in a report filed by under-fire coach Waqar Younis, who is furious about it being leaked to the media.
The Asia Cup to be played in Bangladesh from February 24, will be played in the T20 format for the first time in the tournament's history. The tournament which precedes the vital World T20 to be held in in India in March, has a rich history with India and Sri Lanka winning it five times each. Pakistan have been victorious on two occasions while Bangladesh's best finish has been their runner-up performance in the 2012 edition. Team India will be led by MS Dhoni and the tournament will also see Virat Kohli returning after taking a break from the recently concluded three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. Dhoni will be chasing history to become the most successful skipper in the tournament history. The Indian skipper and former Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga have both recorded same number of nine victories and four defeats in the Asia Cup All the matches will be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Mirpur. The qualifying rounds involving Afghanistan, United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong and Oman has begun from Friday.
Misbah-ul-Haq produced a crucial captain's innings to steer Pakistan to a four-wicket win over West Indies in the fifth One-day international in St. Lucia on Wednesday and secure the series 3-1.
The road to the knockout stage for Sarfaraz Ahmed and his men is just an improbable mathematical calculation and that too provided Pakistan win the toss and bat first.
After the setback of their arrest of their chief Yasin Bhatkal, top Indian Mujahideen operatives are now looking for his replacement.
India have emerged winner in all five matches against Pakistan in T20 World Cups, starting from the inaugural World T20 in 2007.
Pakistan survived a late order scare from Sri Lanka to pull off an exciting 11-run win in the first one-day international, to go 1-0 up in the five-match series in Sharjah.
The Pakistan selectors decided to drop the senior trio of Shoib Malik, Kamran Akmal and Imran Farhat from the probables list in the wake of team's failure in the Champions Trophy but at the same time recalled veterans Shahid Afridi and Younis Khan for West Indies tour.
Pakistan have selected two uncapped teenagers in a 15-man squad for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka starting on October 20.
Images from Day 2 of the first Test match between England and Pakistan in Manchester, on Thursday.
Chasing a competitive 258 for victory, Pakistan overhauled the target with just three balls to spare with former captain Shoaib Malik (51 off 43 balls) getting the winning runs.
Pakistan's Test stalwart Younis Khan, who led the national team to its only World T20 title in 2009, remained unsold while captain Misbah-ul Haq was snapped up by the Islamabad franchise on the first day of the Players' Draft for the Pakistan Super League, on Monday.
Eight teams have formed some of the best combinations from a pool of 64 top cricketers in the players' draft for T10League -- the limited ten-over format cricket -- that will be played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Four-time champions India will back themselves to reach their third successive final at the U-19 World Cup when they face arch-rivals Pakistan in the semi-finals, in Potchefstroom, on Tuesday. Both teams go into the last four clash unbeaten. While India beat Australia in the quarter-finals, Pakistan outplayed Afghanistan.
India and Pakistan meet in their opening World Cup match at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday. Ahead of what promises to be a thrilling contest here's a fact-file on the teams.
Pakistan will be eager to raise their game.
Their arrival itself was mired in drama and a mercurial Pakistan would look to bring the focus back on their cricket when they take on an enigmatic Bangladesh.
With both teams virtually out of the semi-final race, South Africa and Pakistan will be battling it out for a consolation win in their World Cup match at Lord's.
Yashasvi Jaiswal batted like a man among boys while Kartik Tyagi reminded Pakistan of Waqar Younis's toe-crushing yorkers as defending champions India walloped their arch-rivals by 10 wickets to enter their seventh ICC Under-19 World Cup final, in Potchefstroom, South Africa, on Tuesday. Images from the Under-19 World Cup semi-final between India and Pakistan, in Potchefstroom, South Africa, on Tuesday.
New Zealand secured their third straight win to book a spot in the semi-finals of the World Twenty20 after beating Pakistan by 22 runs at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali in their Super 10 stage match on Tuesday.
Pakistan's jinx against India in World Cup continues
Pakistan have included uncapped opener Sharjeel Khan in their squad for this month's Twenty20 internationals against Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, but senior players Shoaib Malik and Abdul Razzaq were left out.
Thirty-four-year debutant Zulfiqar Babar took three key wickets then struck a six off the final ball of the match to give Pakistan a two wicket victory over West Indies in the first Twenty20 international on Saturday.
Experienced Pakistan players Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Sami received surprise call-ups to the national side for the two T20 matches against the touring Zimbabwe team after spending close to three years in the wilderness.
Pakistan have axed senior batsman Younis Khan for next month's One-day series against Australia in the United Arab Emirates as they announced their ODI and Twenty20 squads on Wednesday.
The PCB banned Shehzad for violating anti-doping regulations after he tested positive for a prohibited substance in May and his suspension was scheduled to end on November 10.
Pakistan will be desperately looking to ensure the painful defeat to India becomes a distant past when they run into an in-form New Zealand in Mohali on Tuesday with an aim to bounce back into the World Twenty20 and pacify their bitter fans back home. Pakistan are coming into the Group 2 Super 10 game having suffered their 11th defeat to the arch-rivals in ICC's world events. The 2009 champions entered the tournament after an early elimination in the Asia Cup. On the other hand, the New Zealanders are on a roll with two massive wins over hosts India and Australia, making them one of the strong contenders to lift the coveted trophy on April 3. Another win and they will be in the knockout stages of the mega-event. New Zealand have emerged as the team to beat after the stunned tournament favourites India first up, before getting the better of traditional rivals Australia in a trans-Tasman battle.
Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the first day-night One-day-international at Dubai stadium on Friday.
Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan has resumed training after returning from England in a bid to reclaim his place in the national team.
Some of her fans even started unfollowing her on twitter.
Pakistan tried to shut out another day of speculation, criticism and acrimony on Tuesday to focus on ending their blighted tour of England on a winning note.
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