HARRARE – Fakhar Zaman on Sunday became country’s first ever batsman toscore 500 T20I runs in a calendar year.
The 28-year-old batsman smashed a match-winning 91 to help Pakistan chasethe target of 184 comfortably against Australia – which was also team’shighest successful chase.
The innings that included 12 boundaries and three shots for maximum tookZaman’s total score tally in the year to 516, which is highest by anyPakistani player in the shortest format during a calendar year.
Only two players have scored more runs than Fakhar in a year, Virat Kohli(641) and Mohammad Shahzad (520), both in 2010.
Pakistan are scheduled to play at least 6 more T20Is this year and Fakharhas the opportunity to create a world record of most runs in a calendaryear. To achieve this record, Fakhar needs to score at least 126 runs.
Fakhar was also adjudged man of the series for the triangular T20itournament as he scored 278 runs in 5 matches – the most runs scored by aPakistani batsman in a tournament or series. Fakhar was only 41 runs shortof Kohli’s world record of most runs in a tournament which he createdduring World T20 2014 by scoring 319 runs.
The target chase, team’s highest successful chase, was also their 10thconsecutive successful run chase in T20Is. No other team has been thisconsistent witch successful chases in T20Is.