Irfan Pathan: “Fakhar Zaman and Azam Khan will be very dangerous in the middle”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former India fast bowler Irfan Pathan has admitted Pakistan batsmen Fakhar Zaman and Azam Khan will pose a major threat in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Both players are part of Pakistan’s middle order, which has been shaky for quite some time now.
However, Zaman has been in fabulous form in Pakistan’s last few series, while Azam started showing his firepower in the three-match T20I series against Ireland.
“Fakhar Zaman and Azam Khan will be very dangerous in the middle,” Pathan was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
In Pakistan’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand, Zaman amassed 104 runs in two games, which included a top score of 61, at an average of 52 and a strike-rate of 133.33.
Azam, meanwhile, missed the series due to a grade one tear in his right calf muscle.
In the Ireland series, Zaman continued to dominate, accumulating 98 runs, which included a top score of 78, at an average of 49 and a strike-rate of 168.96.
As for Azam, he finished with 48 runs in three games at an average of 48 and a strike-rate of 266.66.
Next up for Pakistan will be four T20Is against England from May 22 to May 30.
Following this, they will be in action in the T20 World Cup, which will take place in the West Indies and United States of America from June 1 to 29.
Pakistan’s first T20 World Cup game will be against the United States of America in Dallas on June 6.
Pakistan Squad for Ireland and England T20I Series: Babar Azam (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan
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