The year 2020 proved to be as unpredictable as the Twenty20 format, with various series being cancelled and tournaments being rescheduled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In all this chaos, the only predictable thing turned out to be Pakistan’s performance in the shortest format, as they notched up series wins against weaker oppositions at home and failed to win away from home against more fancied opponents.
After being hammered 2-0 in their last T20I series in 2019 against Australia, Pakistan called up veteran all-rounders, Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik, back into the national side for their first series of the year against Bangladesh. Pakistan beat the visitors convincingly, courtesy of unbeaten match-winning fifties by Malik and Hafeez in the first and second T20I, respectively.
The Men in Green had to wait until August for their next T20I series as they travelled to England for a completely different challenge in the shape of a three-match series, played in a bio-secure bubble.
Hafeez was again the star with the bat, as he helped Pakistan to score 190 plus scores in the second and third T20I, after the first match was washed out due to rain. The Men in Green failed to defend the target in the second match, but made a brilliant comeback in third match to draw the series 1-1.
Next up was Zimbabwe at home, which allowed Pakistan to give an opportunity to youngsters who had impressed in the National T20 Cup, prior to the series. Pakistan batsmen breezed to the target in all three T20Is after restricting Zimbabwe to modest totals.
Pakistan toughest challenge of the year came against New Zealand, where the Men in Green young batsmen found it tough to handle the bounce, which resulted in the hosts taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series after the first two T20Is .The Men in Green clinched a consolation win in the third match on the back of a magnificent chasing effort from wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan.
Even though Pakistan won seven and lost three T20Is, this year turned out to be a mixed bag for them in T20Is, as it left the Men in Green with more questions than answers ahead of the T20 World Cup in India next year.
BEST MOMENTS
Rizwan’s fightback
Rizwan was under a lot of pressure as question marks were being raised regarding his place in the T20I side. There were never any doubts about his wicketkeeping skills, but his strike rate in T20Is left a lot to be desired.
However, the wicketkeeper-batsman gave a fitting reply to his critics with a career-best 89-run knock from 59 balls, as Pakistan defeated New Zealand by four wickets in third match to avoid a series sweep.
The 28-year-old’s 89-run knock is the highest individual score by a wicketkeeper during a T20I chase. The previous highest was Tim Seifert’s 84 not out during the second T20I of the same series.
Mohammad Rizwan’s 128 runs, during the series, also lifted him 152 places to 158th position in the International Cricket Council (ICC)’s Twenty20 Rankings for batsmen.
Usman Qadir shines
Son of legendary leg-spinner Abdul Qadir, Usman, announced his arrival on the world stage in grand fashion after he bagged the player of the series award in the home series against Zimbabwe.
Qadir claimed eight wickets in three matches at an economy rate of 5.45 during the series, which helped him become the joint second-highest wicket taker for Pakistan in T20Is during the calendar year 2020.
With the next year’s T20 World Cup set to take place in India, where pitches are conducive for spinners, Qadir’s rise could help Pakistan form a potent spin-bowling attack ahead of the mega event. 
The experience of Imad Wasim, exuberance of Shadab Khan and guile of Qadir might have a favourable impact on Pakistan’s chances at the World Cup.