PAK vs SL 2017: Fakar Zaman’s Lack of Form a Point of Concern – Mickey Arthur

Oct 22, 2017 at 7:19 PM

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PAK vs SL 2017: Fakar Zaman’s Lack of Form a Point of Concern – Mickey Arthur

The 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final will be best known for a gritty hundred by Fakar Zaman which helped Pakistan defeat India and lift their first Champions Trophy title.

He scored a brilliant 114 in the final and became an overnight sensation not only in Pakistan, but also all around the world. Since the match in June, Pakistan played their first ODI against Sri Lanka in the ongoing five-match ODI series in the UAE.

Pakistan has won the first four ODI’s of the five-match series, and it has been a complete team contribution in the victory.

(Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Zaman scored a handy 43 in the first ODI and looked in a good touch to begin the series.

However, the following matches have not been as favourable for the left-handed opening batsman. He had scored 11, 29 and 17 in the three games which followed. The series win had helped Zaman low scored being ignored but their head coach Micky Arthur feels that a slump in Zaman’s form is a point of worry for the Pakistani team.

(Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images)

“I would be lying if I say it is not a little worrying, Fakar is a really good player. What we need is for him to learn and we will continue talking to him. He played in England on really good wickets. The other wickets have been a lot slower and haven’t allowed him to play strokes as much as he could have done. The key for Fakar now is learning to take strike a little bit more. So he’s got to be able to get singles and get to the other end. That is going to be the key in his development as a batsman but he is still our X-factor player, and hopefully, he does well tomorrow,”

Despite Zaman’s lack of form, Pakistan has won four consecutive One Dayer’s against Sri Lanka with one more ODI to be played on Monday.

The credit goes majorly to their prolific run-scorer in the recent times Babar Azam. Azam scored two consecutive centuries in the series and also has a half-century to his name. He has scored 303 runs in four innings so far. He was equally complimented by the new number one bowler in the world, Hasan Ali.

(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

“When we are winning, we are winning well, and now we have a young guy who a year ago wasn’t in our team is suddenly the No.1 bowler in the world, and also Babar Azam has moved to No.4 in the world. That is a great compliment to those players, and that also shows we started to gel as a really good as a one-day unit. Those guys have been outstanding,”   

Despite the series win, the current situation is not quite comfortable for the Pakistani team, as world’s number one all-rounder Mohammed Hafeez is reported for a suspected action and their major players ruled out due to injuries. Arthur spoke on both the issues, he said,

“That is disappointing because he is such an integral part of this one-day side going forward in terms of what he brings with the ball particularly in these conditions, We spent the last couple of days going back on a few videos and the stuff when he came back, and we are confident that he is fine. I am pretty sure he is going get through that problem,”

Image Courtesy: Twitter

“It’s been a pity that we have picked up a couple of injuries. I thought Faheem bowled great lengths. I would have loved to see him, but he did a calf muscle. Rumman Raees is out of the Twenty20; Haris didn’t pass a fitness test but is pretty close to playing. Babar has pulled a groin. We need to take all that consideration.”

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