Tag: Fakhar Zaman

SYDNEY: Ahead of the crucial encounter of Pakistan with South Africa in the T20 Men’s World Cup 2022, the media manager of the Pakistani team has announced left-handed batter Fakhar Zaman will not be part of the playing squad. 

Pakistan will take on proteas tomorrow at the Sydney Cricket Ground as the hopes of the Men in Green for cruising into the semifinals are tied with a thin cobweb.

The media manager of the team confirmed that Fakhar Zaman is not suffering from any new injury. In cricket, you have to take risks, which sometimes pay and sometimes do not.

The official further said that they are satisfied with the fitness of left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Meanwhile, fast bowler Naseem Shah said what happened is not past and they are focusing on the future fixtures and focusing to showcase best performances in the upcoming matches.

Pakistan need to win all their remaining matches. For Pakistan to have a taste of good luck, Bangladesh will have to beat India in today’s match, starting at 1 pm.

According to the sources, the left-handed batter is likely to be dropped for the rest of the World Cup matches with wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Haris to replace him from the reserves. The team management has not made any official announcement in this regard.

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MELBOURNE: Left-handed batter Fakhar Zaman has been ruled out of the most-talked clash of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 between Pakistan and India, scheduled for October 23.

According to the latest development, the hard-hitting batter failed to recover from his injury, which he sustained in the recently-held Asia Cup 2022 as he landed awkwardly on his right knee.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam, during the pre-match press conference, confirmed Fakhar’s unavailability for the all-important clash against India on Sunday.

“Fakhar Zaman is not fully fit which is why he won’t be available for our first match,” said Babar.

Following Fakhar’s exclusion, Pakistan are likely to carry on with Shan Masood at Number 3 as he has been declared fit after being hit on the head during the team’s training session on Friday.

“Shan Masood is fit and he cleared all the tests. He is ready for tomorrow,” Babar shared.

Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) updated on Shan’s injury status and shared the left-handed batter has cleared all of his medical tests and only sustained ‘superficial bruising’.

“All of Shan Masood´s neurological observations are normal. His CT scan only shows superficial bruising where the ball struck him,” PCB said in a statement.

“He will be re-tested [on Saturday] for concussion”, the PCB added.

It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan will start their T20 World Cup campaign on Sunday (October 23) as they take on their traditional rivals India.

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MELBOURNE: Left-handed batters Fakhar Zaman and Khushdil Shah, alongside reserved players will participate in the optional training session on Saturday.

Ahead of Pakistan’s opening clash against arch-rivals India on Sunday, national players Fakhar, Khushdil and all three reserved players – Usman Qadir, Shahnawaz Dahani and Mohammad Haris – will be participating in the optional practice session.

The players will undergo a vigorous training session at 12 PM first before undergoing fielding practice under lights at 7:30 PM.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam will address the media briefing tomorrow before or after the optional training session as the International Cricket Council (ICC) will announce the schedule for the press conference in due course.

It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan will start their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 campaign on Sunday as they will lock horns with traditional rivals India at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

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LAHORE: Left-handed batter Fakhar Zaman has replaced leg-spinner, Usman Qadir, in the 15-member squad of the men’s cricket team for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Friday.

Following the conclusion of the T20I Tri-series in New Zealand, the PCB has made one change to their final squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, starting from October 16 in Australia, as left-arm batter Fakhar and leg-spinner Usman are swapping places.

The substitution was made as Usman failed to recover from a hairline fracture on his right thumb, which he sustained amid the historic T20I series against England.

The leg-spinner, therefore, will not be considered for selection before October 22.

Despite Usman’s exclusion from the 15-member squad, the leg-spinner would still accompany the national team in Australia as he is a part of the travelling reserves.

Fakhar, on the other hand, will join the national contingent in Brisbane along with ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi and will be available for selection in green shirts’ two warm-up matches against England (October 17) and Afghanistan (October 19).

The team management will assess the left-handed batter’s fitness during the warm-up matches.

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shan Masood.

Travelling reserves: Mohammad Haris, Shahnawaz Dahani and Usman Qadir.

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) provided an update on the injury status of left-handed batter Fakhar Zaman and ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi.

In an official statement released by the PCB, the cricket governing body in Pakistan announced that the left-handed top-order batter Fakhar will depart for the United Kingdom (UK) to undergo rehabilitation.

“Fakhar had landed awkwardly on his right knee while fielding during the ACC T20 Asia Cup final in Dubai. As per the protocols, the PCB has scheduled his medical appointments with specialists who will be providing the best medical care for his rehabilitation,” the PCB said in the statement.

“During his stay in London, the PCB will make all relevant logistical arrangements for Fakhar and he will remain under the supervision of the PCB Advisory Panel, which includes Dr Imtiaz Ahmad and Dr Zafar Iqbal,” the statement further read.

The PCB also clarified the internet conjecture around ace bowler Shaheen’s rehabilitation and issued an update on the left-arm pacer, who is expected to make a full recovery in time for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022.

“The PCB is also pleased to advise and update that Shaheen Shah Afridi is making excellent progress in his rehabilitation in London and is on track to make a full recovery in time for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Australia 2022,” the PCB stated.

“It goes without saying that the PCB has always been and will continue to be responsible for arranging medical care and rehabilitation of all its players requiring any treatment,” the statement concluded.

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SHARJAH: Pakistan are set to lock horns with the lesser-ranked Hong Kong today in a crucial do-or-die encounter of Asia Cup 2022. Both teams will play their first game against each other in the shortest format. The winning team will join India, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka in the Super 4s stage of the tournament while the other team gets eliminated. 

Left-handed batter Fakhar dismissed the impression of taking the opponents lightly as he stated that Hong Kong had been performing well since the qualifiers.

“You cannot take any opposition easy in the T20 format and Hong Kong Hong Kong has played good cricket in the qualifiers so we will try to stick to our plans,” he said in a video shared by Pakistan Cricket Board on its official Twitter account.

🗣️ Fakhar Zaman talks about the morale of the team and preparations ahead of tomorrow's game

📒 https://t.co/CUkkGbl59a#AsiaCup2022 | #PAKvHK pic.twitter.com/PpOc2lumJ2

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 1, 2022

 

“T20 is a short format which provides an equal opportunity for both teams to showcase their strengths. We will ensure to minimise our errors and put up a good show as we are aiming for the Super 4s” he added.

Commenting on players’ fitness Fakhar believed that injuries and cramps were part of the game and the team’s medical team had been doing a great job with the players. Pakistani pacers Naseem and Haris Rauf were seen struggling with cramps during the last match against the arch-rivals India.

“Cramps and injuries are part of the game, however, what matters is the way you deal and recover from those injuries. I hope our players will be fully fit before the next game” he said.

Talking about the team’s morale after the narrow defeat in the nail-biting game against India last Sunday, the 32-year-old stated that the close encounter helped the team in raising the confidence level of the players.

“It was a tight game against India, the morale is high in the camp and all our players are confident of doing better in the upcoming game,” he said.

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DUBAI: Pakistan left-handed batter Fakhar Zaman and wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan given rest from the national squad’s scheduled training session for their must-win clash against Hong Kong in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022.

According to the details, the Pakistan contingent underwent a training session for their Group A fixture against Hong Kong, at the ICC Cricket Academy Ground.

The national players carried out vigorous fielding drills alongside net sessions for bowling and batting practice.

Three Pakistan pacers – Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, and Shahnawaz Dahani, who were given rest from the Tuesday’s training session have rejoined the squad.

Whereas, the head coach of the national cricket team Saqlain Mushtaq did not supervise the training session as a result of minor pain in his knee. Reports suggest that a ball hit his knee during yesterday’s training session.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan will take on Hong Kong in a must-win game on September 2 in a bid to make their way into the Super 4s of the Asia Cup 2022.

Defending champions India and Afghanistan have already booked their Super 4s spots following a dominant unbeaten show in their respective groups.

READ: Yadav, bowlers star as India thrash Hong Kong to secure Super 4s berth

ROTTERDAM: Pakistan’s star with the bat of the first ODI against the Netherlands, Fakhar Zaman admitted that the touring side could have played better against the hosts.

Fakhar, who led the charge for a competitive total for Pakistan with a magnificent century, spoke to this reporter and here and acknowledged that the Green Shirts could have played better while emphasizing different conditions resulting in the slow start for the touring side.

“No doubt, we could have played better than this. The ball was seeming at the start a bit too much and the Dutch bowlers too did exceptionally well. So, credit goes to them also,” Fakhar said.

“We were facing difficulty in the start as the ball was seeming quite a lot and there were spinners as well. So the plan with Babar was that we should not give away wickets no matter how few the runs were,” he revealed.

The left-handed opener then went on to comment on the team’s performance and the narrow victory against the Netherlands and emphasized that no team is weak in international cricket while asserting that players did not feel that the match was slipping away from their grip at any stage.

“At no point did we feel that the match was slipping away. This is cricket and you can’t relax until the last ball, Netherlands played well but the match was in our hands,” Fakhar asserted.

“No team is weak, three of their players were dismissed early but the partnership remained brilliant for them,” he concluded.

It is apropos to mention here that the full-strength Pakistan side managed to hold on the Netherlands by a bare margin of 16 runs in the first ODI of the three-match series.

Fakhar was the pick of the batters as he smashed a magnificent 109 off as many balls, laced with 12 boundaries and a six.

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ROTTERDAM: Pakistan right-arm pacers Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf stunned the Dutch batting line-up after left-handed opener Fakhar Zaman led the way with an astonishing century as the Green Shirts beat Netherlands by 16 runs in the first ODI.

Set to chase 315, the hosts fell 16 runs short despite half-centuries from Vikramjit Singh, Tom Cooper, and Scott Edwards.

The hosts were off to a dismal start to their run chase as the side lost two wickets at a combined score of 24 in the fifth over as Max O’Dowd and Wesley Baressi fell cheaply.

Right-handed batter Bas de Leede then joined hands with Singh for a brief third-wicket partnership that propelled the Netherlands to 62 in the 13th over before the former perished after being trapped in his legs by Mohammad Wasim Jr for 16.

Cooper then joined Singh in the middle which sparked a magnificent partnership for the hosts as the dependable pair added 97 runs for the fourth wicket and tested the Pakistan bowling attack.

The partnership, however, could not flourish for more as Haris struck again to provide a much-need breakthrough to Pakistan. The right-handed batter scored 65 off 54 deliveries including six boundaries and two sixes.

Meanwhile, Singh also perished briefly after Cooper’s dismissal as left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz trapped him in front for 65. He faced 98 deliveries and smashed five boundaries.

Following the departure of the set batters, Pakistan bowlers quickly dominated the Dutch batting attack and halted the flow of runs for the home side. Netherlands skipper Edwards displayed character as he scored an unbeaten and valiant 71 off a mere 60 deliveries, laced with six boundaries and a six.

His heroic knock too, could not power the Netherlands over the line as the home side fell 16 runs short in the run chase and hence allowing Pakistan to start their series on a winning note.

Haris and Naseem were the picks of the bowlers for Pakistan as the right-arm pacers bagged three wickets each, while Nawaz and Wasim Jr managed to make one scalp each.

Pakistan, after winning the toss, opted to bat first against the hosts and were halted by a poor start as the touring side lost their opener Imam-ul-Haq in the sixth over at a mere score of 10.

Following his departure, Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam anchored the innings for Pakistan as the pair added 168 runs for the second wicket. Fakhar led the charge with a century, while Babar remained unable to convert his fifty into a ton.

The right-handed batter lost his wicket in the 35th over while looking to shift the momentum and pace up his slow knock. However, while attempting to slog the ball, Babar miscued it to mid-off and walked back to the pavilion after scoring 74 off 85 deliveries, laced with six boundaries and a six.

Pakistan’s top-scorer for the first ODI, Fakhar, on the other hand, amassed his century but fell briefly after reaching it as he was run out a couple of overs later. The left-handed batter scored a run-a-ball 109 with the help of 12 boundaries and a six.

Fakhar’s dismissal sparked a frustrating collapse for the touring side as Pakistan lose three wickets in quick succession as wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan, Khushdil Shah, and Nawaz perished after scoring cheaply.

Following the collapse, leg-spinning all-rounder Shadab Khan stood up for his team and smashed a quickfire 48 off 28 balls including four boundaries and two sixes, while the debutant Agha Salman offered a helping hand with a valiant knock of 27 off 16 deliveries.

Both batters remained unbeaten as Pakistan finished at 314-6 in the allotted 50 overs.

For the Netherlands, Bas de Leede and Logan van Beek bagged two wickets each, while Vivian Kingma made one scalp.

The action-filled series is being telecasted live on Pakistan’s first HD Sports channel – A Sports and will be simultaneously streamed on the digital platform of ARY Digital Network – ARY ZAP in crystal clear HD quality.

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LAHORE: Pakistan’s left-handed opener Fakhar Zaman has received his commemorative cap for the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) ODI team of the year 2021.

Fakhar, who was named in the ICC ODI team of the year 2021 following his wonderful run in 2021, has now received his commemorative cap on the sidelines of the team’s ongoing training camp for the upcoming home ODI series against the West Indies.

In just six matches in 2021, Fakhar smashed 365 runs at a staggering average of 60.83 including two centuries, which also include his heroic 193-run knock against South Africa in the Pink ODI. The left-handed batter nearly steered the Green Shirts but remained unlucky as he lost his wicket due to a run-out.

Taking to Twitter, the Fakhar shared that he received the cap and also posted a picture while donning the commemorative cap.

“Finally, it’s here. Thank you for this ICC. Honored to be the part of the ODI team of the year,” Fakhar wrote.

Finally, its here.

Thank you for this ICC. Honored to be the part of the ODI team of the year. #BlessedAndGrateful pic.twitter.com/QHaF3LS9OF

— Fakhar Zaman (@FakharZamanLive) June 3, 2022

It is worth noting here that Pakistan’s all-format captain and the current top-ranked ODI batter, Babar Azam, was also included in the ICC ODI team of the year. He was also awarded the ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year 2021 following his sensational performance in the previous year.

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