Pakistan’s preparations for the upcoming tour of Bangladesh have received a major blow as a seasoned batsman Fakhar Zaman out of the three-match ODI series. The setback comes at a time when Pakistan is already trying to regroup after a disappointing performance ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Why won’t Fakhar Zaman tour Bangladesh?
The 35-year-old suffered the injury during Pakistan’s final Super 8 match of the T20 World Cup 2026 and will now undergo rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore.
Fakhar suffered the injury in the landmark match against Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Stadium on February 28. In a high-pressure encounter, the aggressive opener smashed a sensational knock of 84 runs off just 42 balls. With his trademark batting, he smashed nine boundaries and four powerful sixes to give Pakistan a powerful platform. Although Pakistan managed to win the match, the victory came too late to keep their World Cup campaign alive. Despite a disappointing early performance, Fakhar’s fearless batting stood out as one of the highlights of Pakistan’s final outing in the tournament.
Interestingly, Fakhar played a limited role throughout the competition. He featured in just two matches during the World Cup campaign, missing the group stage games against the Netherlands, USA, India and Namibia. He returned to the playing XI, scoring 25 runs against England before producing an explosive half-century against Sri Lanka in the Super Eights. Unfortunately, an injury sustained during this innings forced him to miss the Bangladesh series.
Fakhar’s absence will certainly create a void in Pakistan’s top order. Over the years, the left-hander has established himself as one of the team’s most reliable ODI batsmen. In 92 ODIs, he scored 3,861 runs and 93 knocks at an impressive average of 45.42. His record includes 11 centuries, the most memorable being an unbeaten 210 against Zimbabwe in 2018. A final against India that remains one of the defining moments in Pakistan’s white-ball cricket history.
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Who will replace Fakhar Zaman in Pakistan’s ODI squad?
Meanwhile, the Pakistan team is scheduled to leave for Dhaka on March 9. The team will practice on March 10 before the start of the series. All three matches will be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on March 11, 13 and 15.
With Fakhar unavailable, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is expected to name a replacement soon. He is one of the leading candidates Sahibzade Farhanwho recently enjoyed a remarkable T20 World Cup campaign. The talented opener ended Virat Kohli’s long-standing record as the tournament’s top run-scorer with 383 runs in six innings at an impressive average of 76.60 and over 160 knocks.
Farhan’s domestic record also strengthens his case. In 72 List-A matches, he scored 2,926 runs at an average of 41.80, showing the consistency needed in the 50-over format. If selected, he could get a valuable opportunity to cement his place in Pakistan’s ODI set-up.
