Pakistan opening batsman Fakhar Zaman on Wednesday selected his all-time T20 XI that had the most number of players from England. Fakhar Zaman’s all-time T20 XI included two players each from India, Australia and one each from South Africa, West Indies, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Zaman’s team had many surprises but none bigger than the exclusions of Virat Kohli, Babar Azam and Chris Gayle. The Pakistan opener surprisingly decided to open with South Africa’s AB de Villiers and India’s Rohit Sharma. While the selection of de Villiers is not at all surprising but his batting position is certain to raise eyebrows especially when Zaman named Jason Roy as his No.3.
Roy, who normally opens for England in limited overs cricket, was picked as No.3 in Zaman’s side ahead of India captain Virat Kohli and current No.1 ranked T20I batsman Babar Azam.
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The only Pakistan cricketer in Zaman’s side was Shoaib Malik, whom he picked as his No.4. Instead of India’s MS Dhoni, Zaman went with England’s Jos Buttler as the wicket-keeper of his side.
“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,” Zaman told Cricket Pakistan in an exclusive interview.
{{/usCountry}}“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,” Zaman told Cricket Pakistan in an exclusive interview.
{{/usCountry}}Watch: Fakhar Zaman picks his all-time T20 XI
Zaman picked three specialist all-rounders in his all-time T20 XI – Australia’s Glenn Maxwell, England’s Ben Stokes and West Indies’ Kieron Pollard.
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“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.
Australia’s Mitchell Starc and India’s Jasprit Bumrah were the fast bowlers in Fakhar Zaman’s side while he threw in another surprise by picking only one specialist spinner in Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan in his side.
“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,” he concluded.
Fakhar Zaman all-time 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.