Fakhar Zaman: “My complete focus is on the 2025 Champions Trophy now. I want to do well for Pakistan in that tournament once again and that’s my goal”
Image take by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan batsman Fakhar Zaman has confirmed that his “complete focus” is on the 2025 Champions Trophy as he is eager to perform well.
Zaman hasn’t been picked for Pakistan’s last few limited overs series against Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Many feel it was because he criticised the decision to drop Babar Azam midway through the three-Test series against England in October 2024.
However, the 34-year-old revealed that he had been suffering from hyperthyroidism and needed time to fully recover.
Instead of representing his country, Zaman featured for the Markhors in the Champions T20 Cup, where he scored 303 runs in 10 games, which included two half-centuries, at an average of 30.30 and a strike-rate of 132.31.
With the Champions Trophy scheduled to take place from February 19 to March 9, Zaman is determined to ensure he is selected in Pakistan’s squad.
“My complete focus is on the 2025 Champions Trophy now. I want to do well for Pakistan in that tournament once again and that’s my goal,” the Mardan native was quoted as saying by journalist Farid Khan on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The Pakistan team recently travelled to Australia and won the ODI series 2-1 before being battered 3-0 in the ODIs.
They then went to Zimbabwe and triumphed 2-1 in both the ODI and T20I series.
As for their tour of South Africa, Pakistan lost the T20I series 2-0 before bouncing back to claim a 3-0 victory in the ODIs.
The men in green and the Proteas were then involved in a two-Test series, which South Africa won 2-0.
Pakistan’s next assignment will be a two-Test series against the West Indies, which will be played in Karachi and Multan from January 16 to 28.
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
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