Who is Zaman Khan? 5 interesting facts about Pakistan pacer who replaced Naseem Shah in Asia Cup 2023 squad
Zaman Khan received his maiden ODI cap today (September 14) ahead of the Asia Cup 2023 match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The Men in Green named Khan in their squad as a replacement for Naseem Shah, who got injured during their previous match against India.
Shah could not complete his quota of overs against India and did not come out to bat as well. With the ICC World Cup 2023 approaching, the Pakistan team management has decided to rest Shah as a precautionary measure.
Zaman Khan joined the Pakistan squad in Sri Lanka as a replacement for Naseem. Since he has not played ODI cricket before, not many fans would know about Zaman's skills. Here's a look at the five things you should know about Pakistan's new ODI pacer.
#1 Zaman Khan can clock 90 mph on the speedometer
Khan came into the limelight after his top-class performances for the Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League. The 22-year-old fast bowler can clock 90 mph on the speedometer and trouble the opposition batters with his unique slingy action.
The right-arm fast bowler has played for Manchester Originals, Jaffna Kings and Toronto Nationals in his T20 career as well. In total, Khan has picked up 86 wickets in 68 T20 matches.
#2 Zaman Khan has played less than 10 List-A matches
While Khan has a lot of T20 experience under his belt, the right-arm fast bowler does not have much experience of playing in the longer formats of cricket. He has never played a first-class match, whereas he has played only seven List-A matches.
As far as Khan's numbers in List-A cricket are concerned, he has picked up six wickets in seven innings. His economy rate is more than six, and his best figures are 2/47.
#3 Khan has not played a List-A match since March 2022
Over a year has passed since Khan played a 50-over match in domestic cricket. His last List-A appearance came on March 19, 2022 for Northern against Sindh in Islamabad.
Khan bowled only five overs in that match, where he conceded 40 runs and picked up one wicket. He will play his first 50-over match after March 2022 today in Asia Cup 2023.
#4 Khan played 5 T20 matches in Sri Lanka last year
Khan has the experience of playing in Sri Lanka, having represented the Jaffna Kings in the 2022/23 edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL). The right-arm fast bowler played five matches for the Kings, where he picked up four wickets.
Khan had an economy rate of more than eight runs per over in that tournament. He will look to bring his LPL experience to the fore in Asia Cup 2023.
#5 Zaman Khan aimed to break Umran Malik's record for fastest ball
Umran Malik is the fastest bowler in India right now. He grabbed everyone's attention by clocking 150 kmph consistently on the speedometer while playing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL. His fastest ball is reported to be 157 kmph.
Zaman Khan also has express pace. Ahead of the Pakistan Super League tournament this year, Khan said:
"There is a lot of talk about Umran Malik’s fastest speed record in IPL. I want to break that record now. I will break this record in this year’s Pakistan Super League, Inshallah."
While Khan did not break Malik's record, he bowled with serious pace in the PSL. He will be keen to bring his 'A' game to the table in Asia Cup 2023.