T20 World Cup 2022: Shadab Khan and Shaheen Afridi, Pakistan's most valuable players

Indeed, that was the year Pakistan won their maiden ODI World Cup – and the coincidences to that show are starkly similar. 

However, the current side is not devoid of quality – especially in bowling, where not one but two players have massively stood out. 

They are, of course, the fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi and the leg-spinning all-rounder Shadab Khan. 

The stats they have put up through this tournament are marvellous. Shaheen Afridi has taken ten wickets in six matches, as has Shadab Khan. 

Both are economical as well, with Shaheen Afridi conceding runs at a rate of 6.17, whereas Shadab Khan's economy is 6.57. 

Their strike rates are also somewhat similar, with Shaheen Afridi's reading a healthy 13.8, whereas Shadab Khan's is 13.2. But these numbers only tell part of the story. 

Shadab Khan, it's worth noting, has been easily Pakistan's most consistent bowler in the tournament. And while he can sometimes concede a few runs extra, he's generally been economical and among the wickets. 

He didn't land a single wicket against India but only gave away 21 runs in his four overs. He then took three critical wickets against Zimbabwe and shone individually, even as the team slumped to a heartbreaking loss. 

It left the team on the verge of elimination, but Shadab Khan and Pakistan rose to the occasion. His 3-22 was key in them bundling out the Netherlands cheaply and thus helped them get their first win. 

He also proved a tough nut to crack for South Africa, taking two wickets and giving away just 16 runs as Pakistan kept their hopes alive. 

And he rounded it off with another two wickets against Bangladesh, which helped Pakistan qualify for the semis. 

It was a different case for Shaheen Afridi, who started the tournament looking out of sorts and rusty. He didn't take a single wicket against India or Zimbabwe and was expensive in both games. 

His lack of form held the team back, as they lost their first two games and were on the verge of being knocked out. 

He found some form against the Netherlands, ending with figures 1-19. But, like Shadab Khan, one of his best showings came against South Africa, as he took three wickets and gave away only 14 runs. 

His best showing came against Bangladesh, where Pakistan needed a win. Shaheen Afridi showed his form and rhythm with a beautiful display, ending the day with figures of 4-22. 

And he continued his resurgence with an excellent showing against New Zealand, taking two wickets and conceding just 29 runs in his overs. 

A lot has been said about Pakistan's batting – and understandably so since they have found new stars in the middle order. But their bowling cannot be discounted. 

And, if we are to talk about their bowlers, it's impossible to look beyond Shadab Khan and Shaheen Afirid. It's safe to say Pakistan hopes they can continue to perform at this level to make the 1992 repeat possible.