The infinite chain of quick bowlers that Pakistan has produced over time has been the envy level of different cricketing nations. Zaman Khan is the newest to affix that illustrious line. However there’s a slight distinction to Zaman. Maybe, he’s the primary slinger quick bowler a la Lasith Malinga to play for Pakistan in worldwide cricket. Zaman was drafted into Pakistan’s Asia Cup squad on Wednesday after Naseem Shah was dominated out because of a shoulder harm.
Now, the cricketing world is likely to be engaged in a frantic Google search to know extra about Zaman, however the 21-year-old needed to waddle via layers of difficulties to even begin taking part in cricket.
The ever-endearing rags to riches story, for those who could.
Because it occurs with many different Pakistan pacers, Zaman too minimize his tooth in tape ball cricket in Mirpur, a small village in PoK.
Coming from a household of each day wage staff, Zaman was drawn to cricket from a really younger age and located backing from his family to pursue his dream.
“My father and brothers are labourers. I began taking part in cricket after watching different boys in my avenue taking part in that sport. I used to skip lessons at Madrasa to play cricket. One in every of my family advised me to participate in an under-16 trial in my village after seeing how briskly I used to be bowling. Fortuitously, I obtained chosen and my journey began,” Zaman mentioned in a video posted by PCB.
Zaman took the subsequent step when he was picked within the Pakistan under-19 group to tour Australia, an expertise he termed as an eye-opener.
The pacer’s first huge stage expertise got here when he was picked by Lahore Qalandars for Pakistan Tremendous League (PSL) 2022.
It was cathartic for him to rub shoulders with prime stars of his nation resembling Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf.
Zaman made a mighty impression in his first PSL season, taking 18 wickets from 13 matches to complete third on the wicket-takers’ chart behind Afridi (20) and leg-spinner Shadab Khan (19).
His effort had performed a giant function in Lahore profitable their maiden PSL title that yr.
“After we noticed him within the Kashmir T20 league, we needed to draft him into the facet. He was fast and had fantastic yorker, and we thought that he may very well be a great match into our group,” mentioned Waqas Ahmed, the bowling coach of Qalandars.
His remark was not removed from fact as Zaman made his presence felt in PSL 2023 as properly, grabbing 15 wickets from 13 matches.
It helped the Qalandars to retain their title, the primary group within the PSL to take action.
“He was a bit uncooked when he got here to us. He has that roundarm motion. He was fast alright however he tended to stray the ball down the leg facet or means outdoors the off-stump.
“We labored on the accuracy issue at nets and he’s a hardworking boy and a fast learner,” mentioned Ahmed.
“Since he has this skill to bowl quick full-length deliveries, we all the time needed to make use of him on the demise,” Ahmed added.
Zaman’s ability was seen when he defended 12 runs within the final over of the PSL 2023 closing towards Multan Sultans on March 18.
Six days later Zaman made his Pakistan debut in a T20I towards Afghanistan at Sharjah.
When Pakistan wanted a alternative for Naseem, group director Mickey Arthur, a person who has a eager eye for expertise, instantly needed Zaman within the squad.
Zaman was handed his ODI debut too towards Sri Lanka right here.
However greater than that, it is going to be a golden alternative for him to study the nuances of his craft from an completed performer like Morne Morkel, Pakistan’s bowling coach.
“I’m tremendous excited to work with a expertise like Zaman. I adopted him a bit bit on TV in the course of the PSL, however it’s important for him to search out his ft in a giant sport (towards Sri Lanka), a should win for us.
“He’s a effective expertise. I wish to join with himl, construct that relationship, and develop him as a result of he’s a match winner,” mentioned Morkel.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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