Fakhar Zaman has admitted that Pakistan’s players feel the weight of expectation as the country’s long wait for an ICC title continues, saying the squad is under significant pressure to deliver — with next year’s 50-over World Cup firmly in their sights. The left-handed opener’s candid remarks have made Fakhar Zaman one of the most searched cricket topics in Pakistan today, just as the national team prepares for a high-stakes clash against England.
Speaking in an interview ahead of the ODI tri-series, the 36-year-old revealed that ending the ICC trophy drought is a constant presence in the dressing room. “The World Cup is also in the back of our minds,” Fakhar said, adding that the squad’s preparation is progressing well after a productive domestic season.
Fakhar Zaman interview: building a combination for the World Cup
In the Fakhar Zaman interview, the opener explained that the team’s priority is assembling the right squad for the global tournament. “The idea is to build a good combination for the World Cup next year, and the best part is, most of our players are going into the tournament after playing domestic cricket,” he said.
Fakhar noted that the current domestic season has been genuinely beneficial, with many players gaining valuable experience in 50-over cricket. “It is easier to adapt to the fifty-over format after playing first-class cricket, but difficult to do the same after playing T20 matches,” he observed. “It’s good that all players have come through the domestic season with good form behind them.”
The comments come after Fakhar featured in Pakistan’s recent T20I series against Sri Lanka, where he managed 55 runs. “There have been changes in our side, and we are excited and also hopeful,” he added. “Our preparation is progressing well.”
Pakistan vs England 2nd ODI in Rawalpindi today
The timing of the Fakhar Zaman remarks could hardly be more relevant: Pakistan take on England in the Pakistan vs England 2nd ODI at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium today, the second match of the tri-series. Pakistan opened their campaign with a 37-run win over Sri Lanka, powered by Salman Ali Agha’s 107 off 90 balls — a knock that made him Pakistan’s record holder for the most ODI hundreds at number five or lower.
England, led by Harry Brook, arrive as the in-form side, fresh from back-to-back ODI series wins over India and Sri Lanka. Brook has made no secret of his ambition, saying he wants to be “the man England fans and the team rely on”, and England are chasing their first ODI series success in Pakistan in decades. The two sides’ recent meetings have favoured the visitors, adding extra edge to today’s contest.
Fakhar Zaman is expected to open the innings alongside Saim Ayub in Pakistan’s likely eleven, with Babar Azam at number three and Shaheen Shah Afridi leading the side. A Pakistan win today would put the hosts in the driving seat for the final in Lahore on October 31.
Fakhar Zaman’s record: Pakistan’s only ODI double-centurion
The Fakhar Zaman ODI double century remains one of the landmarks of Pakistan’s white-ball history. Across 92 ODIs, the left-hander has scored 3,861 runs at an average of 45, with 11 centuries and 19 half-centuries — and he stands alone as the only Pakistan batter to score a double hundred in the format.
Fakhar has also represented Pakistan at two ODI World Cups, playing 12 games and scoring 406 runs with two fifties and a century. Few players in the current squad carry his combination of experience and proven match-winning ability, which is why his views on the team’s direction carry weight.
His frank admission about pressure is notable. Pakistani cricketers rarely speak so openly about the psychological burden of the trophy drought, and Fakhar’s willingness to name it suggests a squad that is confronting the issue rather than sidestepping it.
Brushing off red-ball struggles: ‘different formats, different plans’
Fakhar also addressed Pakistan’s recent 0-3 Test series defeat to England, dismissing any suggestion that the red-ball struggles would spill into the white-ball campaign. He maintained that the two formats demand entirely different tactical approaches, and that the team has already held extensive internal discussions to refine its plans.
The message was clear: the ODI unit sees itself as a separate, settled project with its own momentum. “Our preparation is progressing well,” he repeated — a phrase that will be tested in the harshest way over the coming weeks against an England side that has won four straight ODIs against Pakistan.
With the Pakistan tri-series 2026 acting as an early building block toward the World Cup, every result from here feeds directly into the “combination” Fakhar says the team is trying to build.
What Fakhar Zaman’s words mean for Pakistan’s World Cup road
Pakistan’s last ICC title remains the 2017 Champions Trophy — a triumph, incidentally, in which Fakhar played a starring role with a memorable century in the final against India. The drought since has been a source of frustration for fans, and the opener’s honesty about the pressure shows the players feel it too.
The 2027 ODI World Cup, set to be hosted in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, is the horizon the squad is working toward. Between now and then, the tri-series, upcoming bilateral assignments and domestic form will decide who survives in the plans. For Fakhar himself, remaining central to the opening combination through this cycle is the immediate goal.
Today’s match against England is the first big examination of the Fakhar Zaman roadmap. If Pakistan back up their opening win and Fakhar finds his touch at the top of the order, the talk of pressure may start giving way to something more optimistic. Follow all the latest from the Pakistan tri-series 2026 in our Sports section on urdupro.info.
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