Top 5 Cricketers of the Week: 12th – 18th June

#4 Fakhar Zaman

Pakistan’s fearless opener

Fakhar Zaman has played four ODIs for Pakistan. His team has won all four. He has contributed in all four. Now that wins more than just curiosity. The icing on the cake was his improvement curve which ended with a century in the final of the Champions Trophy.

Pakistan’s top run-scorer, despite missing the first game, bagged himself 252 runs at 63 but more importantly with a strike-rate of 113 at the top of the order. After being let-off early by India, thanks to a no-ball, he smashed a 106-ball 114 with 12 fours and three sixes adding 128 for the opening stand with Azhar Ali.

He then added another 72 with Babar Azam, Pakistan’s other talismanic top-order batsman. The southpaw, a find from the T20 league of Pakistan has also scored two half-centuries in this tournament, including a fearless 58-ball 57 against England in the semi-final, in another century partnership at the top. His advent has solved one of Pakistan cricket’s biggest ODI problems – their opening stands.