‘I tried to score runs my way' – Fakhar Zaman

His short international career has been rather spectacular, but Zaman had been a limited-overs man till before the second Test against Pakistan.

The chance to play Test cricket came because of an injury to Imam-ul-Haq, and Zaman has certainly made the most of the opportunity, with scores of 94 and 66.

Amazingly, the short-format dasher was out in the middle for the best part of two sessions in the first innings before narrowly missing out on a debut century. Then, in the second hit, it was a more familiar sight, with Zaman scoring his runs at a strike rate of 79.51.

“You are not satisfied no matter how many runs you score – I wanted to get a hundred in the first innings. I was trying to play my natural game but the situation demanded a different approach. Our position, as a team, was better in the second innings. So, I tried to score runs my way,” he said after the second day, which ended with Pakistan on 144/2 in their second dig, ahead by 281.

For people who remember Zaman’s heroics in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 final against India and are aware of his one-day international and Twenty20 International strike rates of 98.76 and 143.55 respectively, the avatar in the first innings must have come as a bit of a surprise.

“I got support from him (Sarfraz Ahmed, the captain, who also scored 94) in the first innings. My approach was that I have to stay at the wicket for a couple of sessions, to keep wickets in hand, even if I don't score runs,” said Zaman.

“But he scored runs and it pushed the fielders back which allowed us easy ones and twos. All credit goes to him.”

Zaman came into the series on the back of a poor run at the Asia Cup 2018. A 24 in the first match, against Hong Kong, was followed by ducks against India and Afghanistan before he scored 31 in the re-match against India and then 1 against Bangladesh.

“I was unlucky and I played some questionable shots in the Asia Cup,” explained Zaman. “I was in form. I was middling the ball in the nets. I should've taken my time as the pitches demanded.”

He also revealed that the poor run in the Asia Cup had left him desperate to get back in form, and that it was coach Mickey Arthur’s call to keep him with the Test squad and not let him go back to domestic cricket.

“I wanted to play cricket … I asked Mickey if I should go back to domestic cricket or play in the 'A' side. But he kept me in the (Test) side. Credit goes to him. Before the UK tour he told me that I won't be getting any matches, but he wanted me to prepare for Test cricket,” said Zaman.