International career
Fakhar Zaman is a Pakistani cricketer known for his impressive performances, especially in One Day Internationals (ODIs). He has achieved several milestones, broken records, and played key roles in important tournaments throughout his career. Here's a look at his journey with the Pakistan national team:
2017: A Breakthrough Year
- March 2017: Fakhar debuted in T20I for Pakistan against the West Indies.
- June 2017: He was named in Pakistan’s squad for the ICC Champions Trophy. Fakhar played his first ODI on 7 June against South Africa, scoring 31 runs.
- June 2017: Fakhar scored 114 runs in the Champions Trophy final against India, helping Pakistan win the tournament. He was named Man of the Match for his innings.
2018: Record-Breaking Moments
- July 2018: Fakhar became the first Pakistani player to score a double century in an ODI, finishing with 210 not out against Zimbabwe.
- July 2018: He also broke the record for the fastest 1,000 runs in ODIs, reaching the milestone in just 18 innings.
- September 2018: Fakhar made his Test debut against Australia, scoring 94 and 66 in his first match.
2019: World Cup Journey
- April 2019: Fakhar was selected for Pakistan’s squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. In an ODI series against England before the World Cup, Fakhar scored 138 runs, setting a record for the highest score by a Pakistani against England in ODIs.
2020-2022: Challenges and Achievements
- June 2020: Fakhar was part of Pakistan's squad for the tour to England but tested positive for COVID-19.
- April 2021: He scored 193 runs in an ODI against South Africa, the highest score ever made while chasing in ODIs.
- 2021: Fakhar was nominated for the ICC Player of the Month award for April.
- 2022: He was named to the ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year for 2021. Unfortunately, Fakhar missed the 2022 T20 World Cup due to a knee injury.
2023: World Cup and New Records
- October 2023: Fakhar was dropped from Pakistan’s squad after failing to perform in the first match of the 2023 Cricket World Cup. However, he made a strong return against Bangladesh, scoring 81 runs and earning Man of the Match honors.
- November 2023: Fakhar scored 126 runs off 81 balls against New Zealand, making the 5th fastest century in World Cup history. He also hit 11 sixes, a record for a Pakistani in the World Cup.
2024: T20 Series and World Cup Preparations
- 2024: Fakhar played in T20 series against New Zealand, Ireland, and England, proving his value for the T20 World Cup squad.
- 2024: He scored 61 and 43 runs in two matches against New Zealand and 78 runs off 40 balls against Ireland, helping Pakistan win their first match of the series.
- May 2024: Fakhar was named in Pakistan’s squad for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
- June 2024: Fakhar scored 111 runs against Ireland in the 36th match of the series, continuing his strong performances.
2025: Return to ICC Champions Trophy
- February 2025: Fakhar will return to play for Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Leagues Participation
Fakhar Zaman has played in various popular franchise leagues. His performances in these leagues have added to his success in international cricket. Below is a summary of his participation in different leagues:
Caribbean Premier League (CPL)
In 2024, Fakhar Zaman joined the CPL with the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons. He played in three matches and scored 100 runs.
|
Year
|
Team
|
Matches Played
|
Runs Scored
|
|
2024
|
Antigua and Barbuda Falcons
|
3
|
100
|
Bangladesh Premier League (BPL)
Fakhar Zaman played in the BPL during the 2022-23 season for the Khulna Tigers. He appeared in one match during this season.
|
Year
|
Team
|
Matches Played
|
Runs Scored
|
|
2022-23
|
Khulna Tigers
|
1
|
N/A
|
Pakistan Super League (PSL)
Fakhar Zaman's time in the PSL began in 2017 when he was picked by Lahore Qalandars. He struggled in the early seasons, with Lahore failing to qualify for the knockouts. However, Fakhar made his mark with a match-winning 94 runs in 2018.
In 2020, he finished as the second-highest run-scorer and helped Lahore Qalandars reach the final, although they lost to Karachi Kings.
In 2022, Fakhar was re-picked by Lahore after being released before the season. He helped the team win their first PSL title that year, finishing as the highest run-scorer and setting records for the most runs and 50+ scores in a single season. Fakhar also scored his first PSL century in the final.
In 2023, Fakhar scored his second PSL century against Islamabad United and became the second player to reach 2000 runs in PSL history.
|
Year
|
Team
|
Matches Played
|
Runs Scored
|
Centuries
|
Achievements
|
|
2017
|
Lahore Qalandars
|
10
|
198
|
0
|
N/A
|
|
2018
|
Lahore Qalandars
|
10
|
329
|
0
|
94 in final
|
|
2020
|
Lahore Qalandars
|
9
|
334
|
0
|
2nd highest scorer, Finalist
|
|
2022
|
Lahore Qalandars
|
11
|
588
|
1
|
First PSL title
|
|
2023
|
Lahore Qalandars
|
11
|
564
|
1
|
2nd PSL title, 2000 runs milestone
|
Fakhar Zaman's performances in these leagues show his consistency and skill in T20 cricket. His contributions to his teams have helped him become a standout player in these tournaments.
Domestic career
Fakhar Zaman started his domestic cricket career in Karachi, playing in inter-departmental matches. He also represented the Pakistan Navy cricket team. His coach, Azam Khan, spotted his talent and encouraged him to pursue cricket professionally. In 2013, Fakhar decided to leave his naval career and focus on cricket. He began playing for teams like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Abbottabad Falcons, Balochistan, and various Karachi teams.
In the 2016 Pakistan Cup, Fakhar finished as the second-highest run scorer. This performance helped him catch the attention of selectors during the 2016–17 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Pakistan's coach, Mickey Arthur, noticed his skills at a training camp in Lahore, leading to his call-up to the national team.
In August 2017, Fakhar was named in the Durban Qalandars' squad for the first season of the T20 Global League. However, the tournament was postponed and later canceled. In 2019, Fakhar was picked for the Rotterdam Rhinos in the Euro T20 Slam, but the tournament was also canceled. In January 2021, he joined Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's squad for the 2020–21 Pakistan Cup.
Records and achievements
Fakhar Zaman has achieved many milestones in his cricket career, setting records and earning awards.
Records and Achievements
- 20 July 2018: Became the first Pakistani to score a double century in an ODI match.
- 4 April 2021: Scored 193 runs against South Africa, the highest individual ODI score for Pakistan.
- 4 November 2023: Scored 126 runs from 81 balls against New Zealand, setting the record for the fastest century in ODI Cup history.
- 2017: Scored 114 runs from 104 balls in the Champions Trophy final against India, helping Pakistan win by a large margin.
- 2019: Scored 478 runs in the ICC World Cup, including 114 runs in the semi-final against Australia.
Awards and Honors
- 2020: Awarded the Sitara-i-Imtiaz, Pakistan's third-highest civilian honor, for his contribution to cricket.
- January 2022: Named in the ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year for his 2021 performances.
- April 2023: Named ICC Men's Player of the Month by the International Cricket Council.
- 2012: Recognized as the Best Player at the International Defence Cricket Challenge Cup in Australia.
- 2017: Named Man of the Match in the Champions Trophy final for scoring 114 runs against India.
- 2018: Became the first Pakistani to score 1,000 runs in 18 ODI matches.
- 2020: Declared Best Player and Batsman at the National T20 Tournament.
Personal life
Fakhar Zaman moved to Karachi at 16 after finishing school. In 2007, he joined the Pakistan Navy as a sailor, as his father wanted him to focus on academics. Fakhar’s father worked as a farmer, and he wanted his son to have a stable career. However, Fakhar still loved cricket and played in his free time. His teammates call him "Fauji", meaning "soldier", because of his military background.
Family
Fakhar was born on April 10, 1990, in Katlang, Mardan District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He is the youngest of five brothers and two sisters. His father is a farmer, and one of his older brothers teaches at Government High School Katlang.
Finance
Fakhar Zaman’s net worth is around $5 million.
Cars and House
Details about Fakhar’s cars or house are not available.
Scandals
Fakhar has faced some controversies during his career. In October 2024, he was removed from the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) central contract list. The PCB Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, mentioned Fakhar’s fitness problems and his criticism of the board’s decisions as reasons for the removal.
In December 2024, Fakhar was involved in a disagreement after leaving the match against South Africa in the second ODI. Some former players accused South African cricketer Quinton de Kock of violating the "Fake Pitch" law. Fakhar later admitted his own mistake for leaving the match.
After this, in October 2024, rumors spread that Fakhar was thinking about retiring from cricket after being dropped from the central contract list and not being picked for tours to Australia and Zimbabwe.
Fans
Fakhar Zaman has many fans because of his strong style of play and his ability to perform under pressure. In 2019, Gulfnews.com wrote that Fakhar had become a favorite among cricket fans. His fans respect his determination and composure during tough situations.
In 2023, a video of Fakhar playing street cricket with fans in Peshawar went viral on YouTube. He is also known for interacting with fans. In 2019, during a training session at the ICC Academy, several fans asked him for selfies. Fakhar not only agreed but also helped them take better pictures and answered their questions. Fakhar has around 1.5 million followers on Instagram.
