Former Pakistan Navy sailor and currently a cricketer in the national team ‘Fakhar Zaman’ is an impressive talent. The left-hander, who plays for Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), is the only Pakistani batsman to score a double ton in the 50-over format.
Now the 29-year-old has named his all-time T20I XI during an interview with Cricket Pakistan. In his team, Fakhar has picked only two Indians: vice-captain Rohit Sharma and pacer Jasprit Bumrah.
The Pakistani opener has selected two Australians and one player each from South Africa, West Indies, Afghanistan, and his country.
In a surprising event, Fakhar has not picked India captain Virat Kohli who also happens to be the leading run-scorer (2794) in the shortest format of the game. The Pakistani player has also excluded the most successful captain and wicket-keeper in the limited-over format, MS Dhoni. The former Indian skipper has dismissed most batsmen in T20Is (91).
Fakhar has selected AB de Villiers and Rohit to open the innings. While England’s opening batsman Jason Roy will come at No.3, followed by veteran Pakistani batsman Shoaib Malik.
For the wicket-keeper, Fakhar has picked England’s Jos Buttler.
“I would first choose South Africa’s batsman AB De Villiers and then India’s opener Rohit Sharma. England’s hard-hitting batsman Jason Roy would be on my team. Pakistan’s all-rounder Shoaib Malik comes in at number four. After Shoaib Malik, I would include England’s wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler in the team,” Fakhar told Cricket Pakistan in an exclusive interview as quoted by Hindustan Times.
“Australia’s all-rounder Glenn Maxwell slots in at number six. At number seven, I would include England’s all-rounder Ben Stokes followed by West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard,” the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-born added.
“The fast-bowlers would be Australia’s Mitchell Starc and India’s Jasprit Bumrah. Afghanistan’s leg-spinner Rashid Khan would be my spinner in the team,” Fakhar concluded.
Fakhar Zaman all-time T20 XI:
AB de Villiers, Rohit Sharma, Jason Roy, Shoaib Malik, Jos Buttler (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Ben Stokes, Kieron Pollard, Mitchell Starc, Jasprit Bumrah, Rashid Khan.
