Aaqib Javed: “In white-ball cricket, the skills that Zaman Khan has, we have recently been in Canada, I think he is one of the best death ball bowlers in the world right now”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Aaqib Javed, the Lahore Qalandars head coach, rates Pakistan pace prospect Zaman Khan very highly, saying that he is “one of the best death ball bowlers in the world right now.”
Zaman has featured in six T20Is so far and taken four wickets at an average of 32.50 and an economy rate of 6.66.
The 22-year-old has been involved in plenty of domestic tournaments lately as he represented Derbyshire in the 2023 Vitality Blast, which is the side that Pakistan team director Mickey Arthur coaches.
With Arthur having given him a chance to shine at the domestic level in England, Zaman didn’t waste the opportunity as he was the joint fourth-highest wicket-taker with 25 wickets in 14 games at an average of 16.56 and an economy rate of 8.28.
He continued to impress in the Global T20 Canada, where he finished with seven wickets in six matches for the Toronto Nationals at an average of 20.28 and an economy rate of 7.10.
Following this, he played for the Manchester Originals in The Hundred and claimed two wickets in five games at an average of 73.50 and an economy rate of 10.37.
Zaman recently made his ODI debut in Pakistan’s must-win game against Sri Lanka during the Asia Cup. However, he went wicketless in the match, which the men in green lost and thus failed to qualify for the final.
Given the incredible rise to stardom the Mirpur native has experienced, Aaqib knows that the youngster is a bowler to watch out for going forward.
“In white-ball cricket, the skills that Zaman Khan has, we have recently been in Canada, I think he is one of the best death ball bowlers in the world right now,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
The Pakistan team recently defeated Sri Lanka 2-0 in a Test series before taking down Afghanistan 3-0 in an ODI series and playing in the Asia Cup.
Currently, they are in action in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup and started their campaign with successive wins over the Netherlands and Sri Lanka.
However, things have fallen apart since then as they lost their next three games against India, Australia and Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s next game will be against South Africa on October 27 in Chennai.
Pakistan Squad for 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Usama Mir, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Hasan Ali
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