Fakhar Zaman Explained: Pakistan's Explosive Left-Handed Opening Batter
How a left-handed opening batter from Peshawar scored the highest individual ODI innings by a Pakistani, hit 114 in the ICC Champions Trophy final against India — and became one of Pakistan's most explosive limited-overs openers.
Fakhar Zaman (born 10 April 1990 in Peshawar, Pakistan) is a left-handed opening batter who plays for Pakistan in white-ball cricket. He is known for two of Pakistan's most celebrated recent batting performances: his 114 in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final against India, and his 210 not out against Zimbabwe in 2018 — the highest individual ODI score ever made by a Pakistani batter.
2017 Champions Trophy Final
Pakistan won the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy — defeating India convincingly in the final at The Oval in London. Fakhar Zaman's 114 runs from the opening position was central to Pakistan's total of 338, which India ultimately could not chase down. The victory was one of Pakistan's greatest recent One Day International wins — the Champions Trophy (held between ICC World Cups) is considered a major international tournament, and defeating India in a final remains the pinnacle of Pakistan-India sporting rivalry.
The 210 Not Out Against Zimbabwe
In July 2018, Fakhar Zaman scored 210 not out against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo — the highest individual ODI score ever made by a Pakistani batter, and at the time one of the highest individual scores in ODI history. The innings required extraordinary concentration, hitting consistency, and physical stamina over 50 overs of batting. Scoring a double-century (200+) in ODI cricket is an exceptionally rare achievement — only a handful of batters have done so in the history of One Day International cricket.
Left-Handed Opening Style
Fakhar Zaman's left-handed opening style creates a left-right combination at the top of Pakistan's batting order when paired with a right-handed partner — varying the angles for bowlers from the first delivery. He is an aggressive opener who looks to score boundaries in the powerplay overs, taking advantage of fielding restrictions rather than waiting for the bowling to lose its shine. His attacking intent at the top of the order has made him one of Pakistan's most exciting ODI openers.
Pakistan Super League
Fakhar Zaman plays in the Pakistan Super League — one of Pakistan's most important domestic T20 competitions, which has significantly raised the profile and standard of professional cricket within Pakistan. His PSL performances have been among the most watched batting displays in the competition's history, and he is one of the PSL's most popular players given his national team performances in memorable matches.
Frequently asked questions
What is Fakhar Zaman's highest ODI score?
Fakhar Zaman scored 210 not out against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in July 2018 — the highest individual ODI score ever made by a Pakistani batter and one of the highest in ODI history.
What did Fakhar Zaman score in the 2017 Champions Trophy final against India?
He scored 114 from the opening position as Pakistan made 338, then bowled India out for considerably less to win the Champions Trophy — one of Pakistan's greatest recent One Day International victories.
What background does Fakhar Zaman have before cricket?
He served in the Pakistan Navy before taking up professional cricket — an unusual career transition. He began representing Pakistan in white-ball cricket in his late twenties, making his international debut relatively late.