Pakistan loom as the real deal
He’s yet to taste defeat in nine oneday cricket internationals for Pakistan, averages 44 with the bat and credits Brendon Mccullum as his batting inspiration.
Fakhar Zaman, the fearless lefthanded opener with the fast hands, took an instant liking to New Zealand pitches with a blistering century in Nelson in their only warmup match before the first ODI in Wellington on Saturday.
Zaman hit 106 off 84 balls before being retired out as Pakistan amassed 341-9 against a modest New Zealand XI without any Twenty20 Super Smash players. It was well beyond them at Saxton Oval, bowled out for 221 in the 48th over as Pakistan won by 120 runs.
The tourists picked their best XI, looked sharp and were well up for the 50-over shakedown which confirmed a stern challenge awaits the Black Caps in the five-match ODI series. Not a moment too soon, either, as a poor West Indies team prepare to head home.
Zaman hit 12 fours and three sixes and with fellow opener Azhar Ali (104 retired off 105 balls) plundered 206 off 29 overs for the first wicket against a medium pace attack of Northern’s James Baker, Otago’s Michael Rae and Auckland’s Matt Mcewan.
Zaman, 27, didn’t make his ODI debut until June, on Pakistan’s run to the Champions Trophy title. In their dream victory over India in the final at The Oval he slayed 114 off 106 balls, and played in every match of Pakistan’s current ninematch ODI winning streak while racking up 400 runs.
In June, Zaman said his time as former New Zealand skipper Mccullum’s team-mate with the Lahore Qalanders in the Pakistan Super League was the key to his rapid rise.
‘‘The first time I met him [Mccullum], he saw me batting and he told me ‘Fakhar, you’ll play all
our matches, but ensure you play this [style of] game everywhere,’’ Fakhar told cricket.com.au.
‘‘I learnt a lot from him… he’s told me so many things that are working for me.’’
Pakistan looked set to top 400 until former test offspinner Mark Craig applied the brakes, trapping key batsman Babar Azam lbw for six, and removing veteran Shoaib Malik for one.
Hasan Ali, the world’s top-ranked ODI bowler after his dream year in 2017, also showed he could hit by blasting four sixes in his 36 off 15 balls.
Pakistan are down on bowlers with Usman Khan, Junaid Khan and Imad Wasim all ruled out with injury, but still boast an impressive attack spearheaded by left-armer Mohammad Amir.
They bowled tight lines, the fielders chased and dived with intent and they were too good for the NZ XI containing some first-class experience.