Fakhar Zaman: “Khawaja Nafay has a spark in his batting”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan power-hitter Fakhar Zaman said up-and-coming batsman Khawaja Nafay “has a spark in his batting”.
His comments come after he played alongside the 22-year-old for the Markhors in the Champions T20 Cup.
Nafay ended the tournament with 220 runs in 10 matches, which included two fifties, at an average of 24.44 and a strike-rate of 135.80.
“Khawaja Nafay has a spark in his batting,” Zaman was quoted as saying by Grassroots Cricket on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Zaman was in solid form in the Champions T20 Cup and finished as the third-highest run-scorer with 303 runs in 10 games, which included two half-centuries, at an average of 30.30 and a strike-rate of 132.31.
Since the 34-year-old from Mardan was featuring in that tournament, he wasn’t selected for Pakistan’s limited overs series against Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
During their tour of Australia, the men in green won the ODI series 2-1 before being crushed 3-0 in the T20Is.
They then went to Zimbabwe and came away with a 2-1 victory in both the ODI and T20I series.
As for their ongoing tour of South Africa, Pakistan lost the T20I series 2-0 before rebounding to secure a 3-0 win in the ODIs.
Currently, the men in green and the Proteas are playing a two-Test series, which South Africa lead 1-0 after winning the 1st Test in Centurion by two wickets.
The 2nd Test will start on January 3 in Cape Town.
Pakistan Squad for South Africa T20I Series: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Jahandad Khan, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wicketkeeper)
Pakistan Squad for South Africa ODI Series: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wicketkeeper)
Pakistan Squad for South Africa Test Series: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah Khan (wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha