From the Rawalpindi camp
From Pakistan’s ODI camp the message is clear: the left-hand opener is treating the 2027 World Cup as what may be his last chance at major ICC glory. Speaking to reporters on Friday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, ahead of the tri-series opener against Sri Lanka, the 36-year-old said the dressing room has talked at length about ending a long wait for a global title.
He will be 37 when that tournament is staged across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. For Fakhar, and for peers such as Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi, it is widely viewed as a final window to close the gap since Pakistan’s last major triumph.
Why the 2027 World Cup weighs so heavily
Fakhar’s career arc still starts with the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, when his century helped Pakistan lift their most recent global crown. The years that followed brought deep runs in the 2021 and 2022 T20 World Cups—semi-final and final—then a longer stretch of ICC disappointment.
Bilateral results over the past year or so have lifted Pakistan to sixth in T20Is and fifth in ODIs, he noted in the broader team context shared around camp. Yet he stressed that finals and semi-finals do not replace the feeling of winning a trophy for the country. “We’ll make every effort to bring this trophy back to Pakistan,” he said, adding that many teammates are taking the challenge seriously.
Tri-series as the first step on the road
Pakistan’s path begins with an ODI tri-series against Sri Lanka and England in a double round-robin. The first three matches are in Rawalpindi; Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium hosts the rest of the league stage and the final on 31 October.
Fakhar said the side will keep 2027 in mind throughout. He suggested the wickets are being prepared to echo conditions expected in South Africa, where Pakistan will play most of their World Cup games. The squad shape—four bowlers, six batters and one all-rounder—is also seen as suited to those venues. “The combination for the 2027 World Cup is looking very good,” he said.
Players arriving from the President’s Trophy, Pakistan’s first-class departmental competition, should help, he argued: long-form rhythm makes 50-over cricket feel shorter than a schedule built only on T20s. ODI cricket remains his favourite format, and he is excited by the volume ahead—including at least four tri-series games and a five-match ODI series in England in May next year.
Runs, rhythm and what comes next
His one-day numbers remain strong: 3,861 runs in 92 ODIs at an average of more than 45, with 4,000 in sight if he stays in the side through the tri-series. Whether he can end his career as he began it—with a major title—will unfold on that World Cup trail, starting now in Pakistan and continuing toward 2027.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- 2017: Fakhar’s century helps Pakistan win the ICC Champions Trophy, their last global title.
- 2021–2022: Pakistan reach a T20 World Cup semi-final and then a final; a longer dip in ICC events follows.
- Past year or so: Bilateral success lifts Pakistan to sixth in T20Is and fifth in ODIs.
- Friday (Rawalpindi): Fakhar speaks at training ahead of the ODI tri-series opener versus Sri Lanka.
- 31 October: Tri-series final scheduled at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
- May next year: Five-match ODI series in England planned before the 2027 World Cup.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Fakhar Zaman ne kaha hai ke Pakistan phir se bada ICC trophy jeetna chahta hai. Woh 2027 World Cup ko apne career ka aakhri bada mauqa samajh rahe hain. Ab pehla qadam ODI tri-series hai, Sri Lanka aur England ke khilaf. Fans ke liye yeh white-ball cricket aur World Cup ki taiyari dono ka aaghaz hai.
