Veteran Pakistan opening batter Fakhar Zaman has declared that he has been ruled out of the ongoing edition of the ICC Champions Trophy as he issued a statement on X about the same. However, the left-handed batter asserted that he will come back stronger and will be supporting his team from the sidelines.
Zaman, viewed as Pakistan's X-factor, sustained a lower-back injury during a fielding effort during the first over as he prevented a boundary off Shaheen Shah Afridi's bowling. The left-handed batter did not open the innings as he was expected to and his innings of 24 lasted 41 balls before Michael Bracewell cleaned him up. Imam-ul-Haq has been announced as his replacement in the squad.
The 34-year-old took to X and wrote:
"Representing Pakistan on the biggest stage is an honour and dream of every cricketer in this country. I have been privileged enough to represent Pakistan multiple times with pride. Unfortunately I’m now out of ICC Champions Trophy 2025 but surely Allah is the best planner. Grateful for the opportunity. I will be backing our boys in green from home. This is only just the beginning, the comeback will be stronger than the setback. Pakistan Zindabad."
"When you're chasing 320, the powerplay is instrumental to it" - Salman Ali Agha
All-rounder Salman Ali Agha, who scored 42 off 28 balls, opined that Zaman's absence at the top impeded their progress at the powerplay as he believes the southpaw is one of the best when the field is up.
"We were hampered by Fakhar's absence at the start of the innings. In the last five or six years, no one utilises the powerplay better than him. We didn't even have 30 runs [they were 22 for 2] in the powerplay. We knew we'd have to attack from ball one and take risks. So I took those risks, but I still believe I should have taken the innings deeper. When you're chasing 320, the powerplay is instrumental to it. But Fakhar Zaman, who uses that powerplay very well, couldn't bat then because of his injury."
