KARACHI: Sri Lanka’s total had reached 325, and the general feeling in the Pakistani dressing room was that chasing such a massive target would not be easy. However, one player appeared completely unfazed. He had guided his team to victory in big matches before and was confident that he could deliver another such performance.
As he walked out to the crease, the scoreboard soon read 14-2. After Maaz Sadaqat, Babar Azam also lost his wicket, but there was not a wrinkle of concern on his forehead. He believed in himself and was determined to make something happen before returning to the pavilion. He then built a substantial partnership with young Saad Baig, putting Pakistan firmly on the path to victory.
You all know who I am talking about: Fakhar Zaman.
A selfless individual, Fakhar has never placed his personal performance above the interests of the team. He has no PR team, nor has anyone bestowed grand nicknames such as King, Cheetah or Lion upon him. He does not have an army of devoted social media followers or a group of former cricketers constantly singing his praises.
He has no obsession with becoming captain, nor does he possess the arrogance to consider anyone beneath him. Fakhar is an extremely simple and down-to-earth person. He leads an ordinary lifestyle and has never considered himself a superstar.
Perhaps his career statistics do not fully reflect his talent, but there is absolutely no doubt that he is a match-winner.
When many players realise that their team is in trouble, they either score a few runs and then step aside or try to protect themselves by pushing younger players into the spotlight. Fakhar has never done that. He has always put the team’s interests first, and that is precisely why he has earned respect.
In our country, many cricketers continue to feel insecure even after becoming established stars. They fear that a young player might take their place, which is why they often hesitate to encourage emerging talent.
Fakhar Zaman is quite the opposite. Young cricketers regularly benefit from his advice and guidance.
A few months ago, Fakhar shared an interesting story with me. He told me how he had been impressed by Sahibzada Farhan’s performances in the past and had contacted him through Facebook, inviting him to play for his domestic team.
Similarly, he has spent years with Lahore Qalandars in the PSL alongside Atif Rana and Sameen Rana and considers the franchise his family.
In the recent triangular series, Fakhar Zaman had failed to make an impact before the final. Some quarters even demanded that he be dropped from the team. However, the team management continued to back him, and Fakhar responded by scoring a century and guiding Pakistan to victory.
Players generally come under tremendous pressure in major contests, but Fakhar’s performances tend to become even more impressive on such occasions. Without a doubt, he is a big-match player who rises to the occasion.
Today, while scrolling through social media, I came across a clip of Ahmed Shehzad. I generally avoid listening to such “brilliant” analysis, but the headline caught my attention, so I decided to watch it.
He was essentially saying something along the following lines:
“Fakhar has been given so many opportunities, and eventually he has played one big innings. The same will happen with Babar if we keep giving him chances.”
Comments like these reek of jealousy.
Is there any player in our team who performs consistently in every match? If you believe that a player, when given four matches, is capable of winning you at least one of them, then you should never drop him.
Consider Shahid Afridi’s example. Every few matches, he would produce an individual performance that won the game for Pakistan. That is why he remains the Pakistani cricketer with the highest number of Player of the Match awards.
Players like Fakhar are invaluable assets in World Cups. The next mega event will take place in Africa next year, and he could prove extremely useful there.
We are often critical of Mike Hesson, but in this instance, he deserves appreciation for maintaining his faith in Fakhar Zaman and refusing to give in to social media pressure.
Captain Shaheen Afridi, whether leading Lahore Qalandars or the Pakistan national team, always writes Fakhar Zaman’s name first on the team sheet.
Fakhar’s fitness concerns have also eased. He can comfortably represent the country for another two to three years. He should be rested against teams like Zimbabwe and Ireland and given opportunities in important matches. This approach could help prolong his career.
Fakhar has demonstrated how a single innings can breathe new life into an entire country’s cricket.
The victory in the triangular series must also have eased some of the pressure on the PCB. Otherwise, questions were being raised about the very future of cricket in the country. This victory has restored hope that our team still has the strength and ability to compete.
Selectors Aaqib Javed and Sarfaraz Ahmed must also be breathing a sigh of relief.
The most encouraging aspect has been the impressive performances of the younger players. Saad Baig, Arafat Minhas and Hasan Nawaz all performed well. The fast bowlers also showed signs of improvement.
However, Babar Azam has been extremely disappointing. He should learn from Fakhar and adopt a more positive approach. Playing with a positive mindset could help him regain his form.
Salman Ali Agha also needs to bring greater consistency to his performances.
The promising displays by young cricketers are certainly encouraging, but the presence of experienced players in the team is equally important. Fakhar, Babar and Salman could all play crucial roles in Pakistan’s World Cup campaign.
Shaheen has established himself as captain and is also bowling well. The PCB should announce his appointment as captain until the World Cup so that other cricketers who dream of seeing themselves tossing the coin at the start of a match can concentrate solely on their cricket.
Here again, Fakhar Zaman sets an example. He has been playing international cricket for years but has never chased the captaincy or complained about not being appointed to the position.
These are the kind of players we need.
The nation is proud of you, Fakhar. Keep shining and continue bringing honour to Pakistan.