Fakhar Zaman has earned a last-minute entry to Pakistan’s main T20 World Cup squad as an injury replacement for Usman Qadir. With Saturday being the last date allowed by ICC for teams to make any changes to their squad, Pakistan have chosen to beef up their batting stocks.
Fakhar was ruled out of the main squad and kept only in reserves after picking up a knee injury priority to the home T20Is against England. However, he has gotten his spot back after undergoing rehabilitation and treatment for his knee issue under specialist supervision alongside pacer Shaheen Afridi in London.
Despite his injury, Pakistan may have kept Fakhar in their playing contingent, like Shaheen, if not for the left-hander’s poor form during the Asia Cup 2022. Fakhar, a hard-hitting impact player at his best, has a poor record for the year in T20Is, collecting only 96 runs from his seven innings since the start of 2022.
But his ability to come out all guns blazing has kept him in the plans, allowing him to re-earn his place following wristspinner Qadir’s injury. Qadir is still part of the reserves, though, alongside Mohammad Haris and Shahnawaz Dahani and will be undergoing rehab in Australia for his thumb injury.
Recognising the conditions Down Under, the selectors didn’t feel wary of carrying limited spin options in naming a replacement for Qadir and appointing Fakhar to be their man for the plug. Pakistan have only Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz as their specialist spin options in the main squad but have called in a specialist batter to replace the tweaker.
Similarly to Shaheen, Fakhar will relink with the Babar Azam-led side on October 15 in Brisbane prior to the side’s two official warm-up games against England and Afghanistan on October 17 and 19. Pakistan will kick off their Super 12 campaign against arch-rivals India at MCG on October 23.
