Yasir Arafat: “We have players like Fakhar and Iftikhar, who are capable of winning matches single-handedly. So, the hope is that we get a good start, these players perform well in the middle order, and finish strong”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan all-rounder Yasir Arafat has lauded the big-hitting duo of Fakhar Zaman and Iftikhar Ahmed, saying they are “capable of winning matches single-handedly”.
Zaman and Iftikhar have showcased their firepower on numerous occasions, but the problem is that it is not often enough.
The 2024 T20 World Cup served as a perfect example as both batsmen were nowhere near their best and failed to rise to the occasion when it mattered most.
Zaman finished with 33 runs in four matches at an average of 8.25 and a strike-rate of 110, while Iftikhar accumulated 23 runs in two games at an average of 11.50 and a strike-rate of 100.
Despite their poor performances in the T20 World Cup, Arafat still has faith in the experienced pair and reckons Pakistan should hang on to them for the time being.
“We have players like Fakhar and Iftikhar, who are capable of winning matches single-handedly. So, the hope is that we get a good start, these players perform well in the middle order, and finish strong,” he told Cricket Pakistan.
Pakistan lost their first two T20 World Cup matches to the United States of America and India before bouncing back to beat Canada and Ireland.
Even though they won their last two games, it was not enough to earn them a spot in the Super Eights.
Pakistan Squad for 2024 T20 World Cup: Babar Azam (capt), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan (wk), Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Abbas Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed
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