Fakhar Zaman’s remarkable resurgence has breathed fresh life into Pakistan’s World Cup 2023 campaign, ensuring their journey to the semi-finals remains a possibility. His explosive performance against New Zealand left former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag questioning the decision of the Pakistan team management to bench him for a significant portion of the league matches.
Following Pakistan’s initial match in the tournament, Zaman was excluded from the lineup after contributing just 12 runs against the Netherlands. This decision came after a string of 11 innings where he struggled to surpass the 35-run mark.
In an attempt to fortify their batting lineup, Pakistan introduced Abdullah Shafique, who performed admirably. However, the top four comprising Shafique, Imam, Babar Azam, and Rizwan lacked a dominant batsman capable of seizing the initiative during powerplay.
Struggling with Imam’s form, Pakistan reinstated Fakhar Zaman, who responded with a resounding 81 runs from 74 balls against Bangladesh and a scorching century against New Zealand in the World Cup.
In a daunting chase of 402 runs in Bangalore, Fakhar Zaman, after a subdued start, launched a spectacular assault on the Kiwi bowling attack. Zaman bludgeoned 11 sixes and 8 fours on his way to an astonishing unbeaten 126 runs from 81 balls, with Babar Azam contributing 66 runs from 63 balls.
Rain intervened after 25.3 overs, with Pakistan reaching 200/1. Using the DLS method, Pakistan secured a 21-run victory despite conceding 400 runs. This remarkable triumph has kept Pakistan’s hopes alive for a spot in the World Cup 2023 semi-finals.
Meanwhile Virender Sehwag took to social media to praise Fakhar Zaman’s incredible ability to hit the ball, acknowledging him as Pakistan’s standout performer in the tournament. Notably, Zaman has smashed 18 sixes in just three innings, surpassing the combined total of 36 sixes hit by all of Pakistan’s batsmen in eight games. In his tweet, Sehwag indirectly poked fun at Imam-ul-Haq, who had previously expressed his desire to increase protein intake for improved six-hitting prowess.
What an innings by Fakhar Zaman, by far Pakistan’s best batter. Which brains kept him on the bench for the best part of the tournament, God knows.
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) November 4, 2023
Protein ki bhi kami nahin, jajbe ki bhi . #NZvsPak pic.twitter.com/t6GdvKRjJ5
