Why did Fakhar Zaman walk off the field in the first over vs New Zealand in Champions Trophy opener?
Why did Fakhar Zaman walk off the field in the first over vs New Zealand in Champions Trophy opener?
Fakhar Zaman suffered an injury scare in the opening over of Pakistan’s Champions Trophy clash against New Zealand in Karachi on Wednesday.
The incident occurred on the second ball of Shaheen Shah Afridi’s first over, a wide and full delivery that Will Young drove through the covers for three runs.
Fakhar sprinted to the boundary in pursuit but landed awkwardly while diving, immediately pulling up in discomfort. He signalled for a replacement before making his way off the field, visibly holding his lower back. Kamran Ghulam was brought on as a substitute fielder.
Fakhar hadn’t played ODIs since the 2023 ODI World Cup. Interestingly, he first rose to prominence in the 2017 Champions Trophy, scoring a match-winning 114 against India in the final at The Oval in London.
