Following a stellar month of play, Pakistan’s opening batsman Fakhar Zaman has been named the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s Player of the Month for April 2023, the ICC declared on Tuesday.
According to an ICC press release, Zaman outlasted stiff opposition from Sri Lankan spinner Prabath Jayasuriya and rising New Zealand batsman Mark Chapman.
In Rawalpindi in late April, Fakhar was essential to Pakistan’s successful pursuit of their second-highest ODI run-chase. The first player scored an unbeaten 180 to help his team beat New Zealand by scoring 337 runs and taking a 2-0 series lead. His innings, which featured 17 fours and six sixes, gave Pakistan the win with 10 balls remaining.
This was Fakhar’s second century of the month. In the first game against New Zealand in Rawalpindi, where Pakistan was chasing 289, he had scored 117 off 114 balls.
The left-hander also helped Pakistan to an impressive 88-run victory in the first Twenty20 International against New Zealand in Lahore with a quick-fire 47. Fakhar performed admirably in the ODIs, a format in which he consistently excels, despite failing to win the following two T20I games.
Fakhar has played in 67 games over the course of his career, scoring 3,148 ODI runs at an average of 49.71 and a strike rate of almost 95. In response to receiving the prestigious award, the Pakistani opener said, “This month has been one of the highlights of my career and it was an amazing feeling to play in front of my own people in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Karachi.”
Fakhar is eager to keep up his momentum in the lead-up to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup and hopes that his performances will inspire Pakistani cricket fans.
