Zaman wants to open for Pakistan in T20I series alongside Sharjeel Khan.
Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman on Thursday (April 8) revealed that he used a bat gifted by his teammate Mohammad Hafeez during the recent three-match ODI series against South Africa.
The left-hander hammered two back-to-back hundreds, 193 and 102 in the last two ODIs, to help Pakistan clinch their only second ODI series 2-1 on South African soil since 2013. For his stellar performance with the bat, Zaman was named the Player of the Series in South Africa.
Hafeez, a former Pakistan captain and most senior player in the team, gifted the bat to the 30-year-old after the opener felt uncomfortable with the ones he had during the ODI series.
As reported by Press Trust of India, Zaman said at a virtual press conference on Thursday: “The bat that I used in the series was gifted to me by Muhammad Hafeez.”
Earlier, Fakhar wasn’t named in Pakistan’s T20 squad for the twin tours of South Africa and Zimbabwe, but after his incredible knock of 193 in the second ODI, the opener has been included in the squad for the upcoming four-match T20I series starting April 10.
Well, the in-form opener has further said Sharjeel Khan is one of his favorite players due to his aggressive style of play and expressed his keenness to open alongside the left-hander.
But it is highly unlikely as the skipper Babar Azam is the regular opener in T20I cricket and even in the Pakistan Super League, thus, he is ready to bat at any position in the upcoming series.
Zaman said of Sharjeel: “It would be great if I can open with Sharjeel during the upcoming T20I matches against South Africa and Zimbabwe. I would feel really good if I get the opportunity to bat alongside him. He makes cricket look very easy. So, let’s see what happens going forward.”
He signed off by saying, “I can play at any position they ask me to bat on. Nowadays in T20 cricket, you have to develop a mindset to be someone who can float in the batting order.”
(With PTI Inputs)