Fakhar Zaman becomes first Pakistani to score an ODI double ton
Mail This Article
Bengaluru: Opening batsman Fakhar Zaman became Pakistan's first double centurion in One-Day International (ODI)s, when he smashed 210 off 156 deliveries against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo on Friday.
The 28-year-old pushed on after registering his third ODI century to surpass Saeed Anwar's previous record of 194 against India at Chennai in May, 1997.
Zaman smashed 24 boundaries and five sixes in a blistering innings and went on to become the sixth international batsman to score a double hundred in the 50-overs format. Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma, Chris Gayle and Martin Guptill are the other five.
Rohit Sharma, who has three double centuries, holds the record for the highest individual score (264), which he made against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens in 2014.
Up against a weak Zimbabwe attack, openers Imam-ul-Haq and Zaman adopted a ruthless approach to record the first 300-run opening stand in ODIs.
The record for the highest opening partnership was earlier held by Sri Lanka's Upul Tharanga and Sanath Jayasuriya, who had added 286 against England at Leeds in July 2006.
Imam blazed away to 113 off 122 balls, studded with eight fours, before falling to spinner Wellington Masakadza.
Asif Ali joined Zaman to build an unbeaten 95 run partnership as they finished with 399/1 at the end of the innings.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed won the toss and opted to bat in the fourth ODI. The visitors have dominated the series, bowling Zimbabwe out for 67 on Wednesday to take an unassailable 3-0 lead.