IPL 2018: 5 Pakistan players who deserved a chance this time

#3 Fakhar Zaman

Fakhar Zaman opens the batting for Pakistan in T20s

Companion to Babar Azam in shouldering the opening duties for Pakistan T20 side, Fakhar Zaman has been a gem of a find for the side. His prowess in the shortest format of the game was well-established in the ICC Champions Trophy, 2017 finals, where he slammed a delectable inning worth 114 runs to lead his side to a historic victory over India.

Zaman's PSL performances are enough proof of how good he can be in the limited-overs T20 leagues, thus making him one of the most suitable Pakistani players for the IPL. Playing for Lahore Qalandars in PSL 2018, the 27-year old made 277 runs in 10 matches, aided by a well-made half-century.

A team in dire need of a sound batsman in the Rajasthan Royals, which will have to deal with the absence of Steve Smith in the 2018 edition of the IPL. Zaman, whose batting figures speak volumes of his batting credibility, would have been able to serve as a worthy replacement for Smith and thereby, strengthen RR's top-order batting.