Pakistan opening batsman Fakhar Zaman opened up about his decision to miss the recent ODI series in Bangladesh, where Pakistan lost the series 1-2. The cricketer was in top form during the ICC T20 World Cup and said that his reason for missing the ODI matches was his lack of fitness. He made it clear that he was not in the right frame of mind to deliver at his best in the matches.
“About my absence, I wasn’t completely fit for the one-day matches, and Aqib Javed is right on that,” said Fakhar Zaman in his statement regarding his decision to miss the ODI matches. He also mentioned that he only played in the National T20 Cup after passing his fitness test on March 15. He said that playing only when fit helped in preventing injuries and ensured better performance in matches.
The ODI matches for Pakistan in Bangladesh were quite challenging for the team, as four newcomers joined the team. The performance was also not at par for Pakistan, and they lost the series by a narrow margin. Although the newcomers got valuable experience in playing at this level, the lack of experienced players like Fakhar Zaman was felt in critical situations, especially in stabilizing the innings and forming partnerships.
Although Fakhar Zaman was not available for the ODI matches, he is undoubtedly one of the pillars of Pakistan cricket. His recent performance in T20 matches, where he became the first Pakistani to hit 99 sixes in T20 matches, speaks for his aggressive playing style and his ability to change matches on his own. His reason for missing the ODI matches was his lack of fitness, and this attitude reflects his professionalism and commitment to his long cricket career and smart team management.
Pakistan needs to ensure that their players are fit and new talent is infused into the team to return to top form and deliver better results in matches.
