Fit Fakhar wants to light up CT

The left-hander emphasized his focus on improving his fitness

DUBAI:

Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman opened up about regarding his fitness concerns which forced his on sidelined from cricket for months.

In an exclusive interview with Cricket Pakistan, Fakhar Zaman shared his thoughts on various aspects of his career, including fitness, domestic and international cricket, and the much-anticipated Champions Trophy in Pakistan.

The left-handed opener emphasized his focus on improving his fitness.

"I'm working on my fitness. There's always room for improvement, and I'm doing my best to improve my fitness further," Fakhar said.

Talking about carrying his domestic form into international cricket, he highlighted his recent performances.

"Before the ILT20, I performed well in domestic cricket. These things playing leagues and everything else keep going on. Our job is to play cricket and prepare ourselves, and I'm doing exactly that," he added.

Fakhar also shed light on the advantages of playing in global leagues, praising the high-quality competition and exposure to different conditions.

"Playing in leagues is very beneficial because the teams are of high quality, and big stars play here. Every team is strong. Since these matches are held outside Pakistan and the conditions are different, playing here will definitely help me a lot," he further added.

Expressing his excitement about the Champions Trophy being hosted in Pakistan for the first time, Fakhar said, "I'm very excited that this event is happening in Pakistan. Since I started playing cricket, this is the first time an ICC event is being held in my country. It feels amazing. Even now, you can see how excited people are and how much they are talking about this event, which makes me even happier."

On his T20 performances, Fakhar stated his ambition to play long innings and contribute significantly to his team.

"My aim is always to score big. On a good day, you can score 100, 120, or even 130 and play a long innings," he added.

Discussing his time with the Desert Vipers, Fakhar spoke positively about the team's unity and management.

"I've played with the other foreign players before. Even the foreigners and our management are all amazing. Although the tournament hasn't started yet, and it's only been a week since I arrived, the entire team has gelled together very well," he concluded.

"It feels bad when a player on whom Pakistan has invested so much gets injured just as he starts performing at his peak," Fakhar said.

He emphasized that setbacks like these are part of a player's journey.

Saim's injury

"I believe these challenges are part of life, and to become a great player, you have to face them," he added.

Fakhar expressed his hope for Saim's swift recovery.

"I hope Saim recovers soon. For batsmen, regaining fitness takes time, but it is generally quicker than fast bowlers. So, I believe Saim will return very soon," he concluded.

Opening batter Saim Ayub is recovering from a fractured right ankle sustained during the second Test against South Africa. He has traveled to London for treatment and is expected to be sidelined for six weeks.

The young opener has been in exceptional form, scoring three ODI centuries and an unbeaten 98 in T20Is during recent tours. He was also Player of the Series in Pakistan's historic 3-0 ODI sweep in South Africa.