Some current scintillating performances by Pakistan’s opening batter Fakhar Zaman have bagged him the Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC) Males’s Participant of the Month award for April 2023, the cricket governing physique introduced on Tuesday.
The in-form batter had been named the ICC Males’s Participant of the Month after a surprising month in April.
“He [Zaman] beat out powerful competitors from Sri Lanka spin wizard Prabath Jayasuriya, and rising New Zealand batter Mark Chapman,” a press launch by ICC acknowledged.
The ICC stated that Fakhar led the cost for Pakistan as they pulled off their second-highest ODI run-chase in Rawalpindi late within the month.
The opener smashed an unbeaten 180 to assist Pakistan chase down a goal of 337 towards the visiting New Zealand facet to go 2-Zero up within the sequence.
Fakhar’s knock got here with 17 boundaries and 6 huge sixes as Pakistan received with 10 balls to spare in a high-scoring contest.
This was the left-hander’s second ton in as many matches throughout April along with his 117 off 114 balls serving to Pakistan chase down 289 within the first recreation on the identical venue.
Fakhar led the run-chase from the onset, solely being dismissed within the 43rd over, by when Pakistan had been properly on their solution to chase down the successful rating. He received the Participant of the Match award for his efforts.
The left-hander began the month with a speedy 47 within the first T20I in Lahore towards New Zealand, enjoying a component within the house facet’s thumping 88-run victory. Whereas he did not click on within the subsequent two T20I matches, Fakhar stormed into kind in ODIs, a format he has all the time thrived in
Fakhar now has 3,148 ODI runs at a mean of 49.71 and a strike-rate of virtually 95 throughout his 67-match profession and the Pakistan opener stated it was an important thrill to say the coveted award.
‘Really an honour’
“It’s really an honour for me to be named ICC Participant of the Month for April,” Fakhar stated.
“This month has been one of many highlights of my profession and it was an incredible feeling to play in entrance of my very own individuals in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Karachi,” he stated.
Sharing his private favorite: the hard-hitting batter stated: “I actually loved scoring back-to-back centuries in Rawalpindi, however my favorite was the 180 not out within the second match.
“I hope to proceed the momentum main into the ICC Males’s Cricket World Cup, and make Pakistan cricket followers completely happy and proud with my performances.”