Fakhar Zaman

Fakhar Zaman is a Pakistani international cricketer who represents the Pakistan national cricket team. He operates as a left-handed opening batter and is recognized for his attacking style of play.

Early life and education

Zaman was born on 10 April 1990 in Katlang, which is located in the Mardan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He grew up in a Pashtun family as the youngest of seven children, including five brothers and two sisters. His father works as a farmer while one of his elder brothers serves as a teacher at Government High School Katlang.

After completing his matriculation, he moved to Karachi at the age of 16. In 2007, Zaman joined the Pakistan Navy as a sailor following his schooling and training at the Pakistan Navy School in Bahadur. His father encouraged this career path because he wanted his son to focus on academics rather than his childhood addiction to cricket.

Career

While living in Karachi, he played inter-departmental matches and represented the Pakistan Navy cricket team. His coach, Azam Khan, identified his talent and encouraged him to pursue professional cricket. He made a difficult decision to leave his naval career in 2013 to chase his professional dreams. During this period, he appeared for regional teams such as Balochistan, Abbottabad Falcons, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and several Karachi outfits.

Zaman earned a national call-up after being noticed by coach Mickey Arthur during a training camp in Lahore. He made his Twenty20 International debut against the West Indies on 30 March 2017. His ODI debut followed on 7 June 2017, when he scored 31 runs against South Africa during the ICC Champions Trophy.

The 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final served as a major turning point for his career. After surviving a no-ball from Jasprit Bumrah, Zaman scored 114 runs off 106 balls to help Pakistan defeat India by 180 runs. This performance made him the first Pakistani batsman to score a century in an ICC event final. He was subsequently named player of the match for his contribution.

In 2018, he achieved several historic milestones. On 20 July 2018, he became the first Pakistani batsman to record a double century in a One Day International by scoring 210 not out against Zimbabwe. Two days later, he became the fastest player to reach 1,000 ODI runs, achieving the feat in just 18 innings. He also made his Test debut against Australia on 16 October 2018.

Zaman represents the Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League. Although the team struggled during his first three seasons, he found significant success in 2020 by becoming the second highest run scorer of that tournament. He eventually led the Qalandars to their first PSL title in 2022. During that season, he became the highest run scorer and set a record for the most 50 plus scores in a single season.

He continued his success by helping the Qalandars win a second consecutive PSL title. On 9 March 2023, he scored his second PSL century against Islamabad United. He also became only the second batsman to reach 2,000 runs in the history of the PSL.

Personal life

Zaman is known by the nickname fauji, which means soldier, among his teammates. His given name, Fakhar, translates literally to "pride". In 2020, the navy awarded him the honorary rank of Lieutenant due to his contributions to cricket.

Awards and recognition

He received several individual honors throughout his career. He was named the best player of the tournament during the 2012 International Defence Cricket Challenge Cup in Australia. In the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final, he was adjudged man of the match. He also earned the man of the final and man of the series titles during the tri-series in Harare in 2018.

The Pakistan Cricket Board awarded him a central contract for the 2018–19 season. On 4 April 2021, he set a record for the highest individual score in an ODI chase when he scored 193 against South Africa. In November 2023, he broke the record for most sixes by a Pakistani in a single World Cup innings by hitting 11 sixes against New Zealand.