Matthew Hayden on Fakhar Zaman: “Maybe 20s and 30s here and there, means that overall he’s just been such an important part of the side”
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Legendary Australia opening batsman Matthew Hayden said Pakistan batsman Fakhar Zaman is such an important member of the national team.
Hayden worked with Zaman in the lead-up to, and during, the T20 World Cup as Pakistan’s batting consultant.
Zaman scored 109 runs in six matches, which included a top score of 55 not out, at an average of 27.25 and a strike-rate of 118.47.
“Not only just from a batting perspective but the contributions within a T20 setup is that you have to be, as a general policy, a two-dimensional player,” Hayden was quoted as saying by the Pakistan Cricket Board’s website.
“Fakhar literally saves five to ten runs every game, and five to ten runs within a T20 concept and batting lineup, [including] your own runs, maybe 20s and 30s here and there, means that overall he’s just been such an important part of the side.”
Pakistan are currently touring Bangladesh and began with a four-wicket win in the first T20 International on Friday, in which Zaman struck 34 runs.
They will play two more T20 Internationals before the two-Test series begins on November 26.
Pakistan’s Squad for Bangladesh T20 Series: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shoaib Malik, Usman Qadir
Pakistan squad for Bangladesh Test series: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Abdullah Shafique, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Bilal Asif, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi, Zahid Mahmood
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