Their lead-up form hasn't been flash, but that's no worry to captain Misbah-ul-Haq, a seemingly ageless 40-year-old who has done a terrific job holding a team of disparate personalities together. Among his claims to fame is the most ODI 50s - 38 - without a century.
"This team is capable of just turning around and I'm excited about them," he said. "It's a bunch of youngsters and a few seniors, and we could really surprise anybody at any stage.
"We have yet to play our best cricket."
Over the last few months, Pakistan have uncovered middle order batsman Haris Sohail, who is also a handy left-arm spinner, while legspinner Yasir Shah will add flair to the bowling attack, although he might be seen as a luxury for much of the cup.
Tall left-armer Mohammad Irfan will be a handful for the best batsmen with his steepling bounce. Shahid Afridi is a hit-or-miss proposition with the bat, but his form is good and he's an electrifying hitter if it's his day, and a highly demanding quickish legspinner.
When it comes to runs, Pakistan will lean heavily on veteran Younis Khan, a marvellous warrior spirit for his country, while Umar Akmal is no longer a flighty, if highly promising, batsman. It's time he delivered.
The first order of business will be getting one over on fierce rivals India at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.
Do that - and remember India have been woefully out of sorts since arriving in Australia shortly before Christmas - and their campaign will be off and running. They are a side who historically thrive in adversity when they've been written off; but also when confidence is running high.
Expectations may not be strong back home but Misbah is unfazed. "Whenever you're really optimistic and hopeful, you just try to do well. You never know on a given day if you've got momentum, you play good cricket and have chances against any side.
"That, I think, is the key for us."
Pakistan
• ODI ranking: 7th
• World Cup record
1975: First round
1979: Semifinalist
1983: Semifinalist
1987: Semifinalist
1992: Winners v England
1996: Quarter-finalist
1999: Beaten finalist v Australia
2003: First round
2007: First round
2011: Semifinalist
• Captain: Misbah-ul-Haq
• Stars: Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Irfan
• Watch out for: Furious hitting from allrounder "Boom Boom" Afridi. He can be boom or bust, but if he comes off he's a match winner.
• Strengths: Pakistan can beat any team on any day; it's just they don't do it often enough. They have class batsmen in Younis, Shehzad, Misbah and Akmal, plus explosiveness from Afridi.
• Weaknesses: The batting can be fragile and, Irfan aside, the seam bowling is liable to being collared on a bad day.
• Nemesis: Inconsistency. They can be all over the shop, but if they can respond as Imran Khan's team did in 1992, they could be a real handful.
• TAB odds: $15
• Squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (c), Ahmed Shezhad, Nasir Jamshed, Younis Khan, Umar Akmal, Haris Sohail, Sarfraz Ahmed, Shahid Afridi, Sohaib Maqsood, Sohail Khan, Wahab Riaz, Ehsan Adil, Rahat Ali, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Irfan.
