Is Fakhar Zaman currently the best opening batsman in LOIs?

[stevewittry]

Though I skipped the majority of the tri-series in Zimbabwe, I did watch later half of Pak chase and must admit that I was privileged to watch some high class attacking stuff from the left hander.

Despite losing 2 wickets in the first over and then their captain pretty early on, it was always an uphill task for any team chasing 9+ per over.

But Fakar almost nonchalantly took the game by the scruff of the neck and demolished the Aussie attack to pieces. Such was his dominance that a seasoned campaigner like Malik seemed like a tail ender at the other end.

I also looked up the score card for the other matches of this series and no wonder found that Fakar single handedly won this series for Pak.

No opening batsman currently has the level of dominance and maturity that Fakar has demonstrated. Moreover he bats in an inexperienced batting side and hence his performances are all the more commendable.

 

[Kohli The King of Chase]

There are many, atleast one from each country at present.

Rohit, Shikhar
Finch
Fakhar
Guptill
Bairstow the beast, Roy

 

[stevewittry]

There are many, atleast one from each country at present.

Rohit, Shikhar
Finch
Fakhar
Guptill
Bairstow the beast, Roy

The others have the support of a very strong batting line up which Fakhar unfortunately does not.

 

[Oxfordchamp]

Let's see what he does in Asia Cup. Reserve judgement till then..

 

[Tyler Durden]

Rohit Sharma & Dhawan say hi!

 

[Itachi]

While stating he is best but later comparing him to malik shows the irony of a desperate attempt.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Rohit Sharma & Dhawan say hi!

Finch and Buttler say Hi as well.

 

[stevewittry]

There are many, atleast one from each country at present.

Rohit, Shikhar
Finch
Fakhar
Guptill
Bairstow the beast, Roy

While stating he is best but later comparing him to malik shows the irony of a desperate attempt.

I said he is the best opener and Malik does not open these days.

 

[Kohli The King of Chase]

Finch and Buttler say Hi as well.

U missed Bairstow in ODIS.

 

[Chief Destroyer]

There's a bunch of them at the moment. For me, Warner was the standout. I'd probably go with Bairstow or Dhawan now.

 

[stevewittry]

There are many, atleast one from each country at present.

Rohit, Shikhar
Finch
Fakhar
Guptill
Bairstow the beast, Roy

There's a bunch of them at the moment. For me, Warner was the standout. I'd probably go with Bairstow or Dhawan now.

How is Bairstow or Dhawan better than Fakhar? Today's performance from Fakhar was Kohli level wherein he single handedly took team to victory. How many such performances does the other 2 have ?

 

[Sam99]

U missed Bairstow in ODIS.

Warner and Tamim says hello?

 

[Chief Destroyer]

How is Bairstow or Dhawan better than Fakhar? Today's performance from Fakhar was Kohli level wherein he single handedly took team to victory. How many such performances does the other 2 have ?

We're basing it off one performance?

 

[stevewittry]

There are many, atleast one from each country at present.

Rohit, Shikhar
Finch
Fakhar
Guptill
Bairstow the beast, Roy

We're basing it off one performance?

How about his performances in the rest of this series? How about the Champions Trophy - the Pak team after his inclusion had a different spark compared to what it was before.

 

[Itachi]

I said he is the best opener and Malik does not open these days.

Thats true but when you set the bar as high as that of malik, not only zaman but any x,y,z will shine. That's where the logic fails.

 

[Minnowbasher]

Best opening batsman from Pakistan yes. Definitely not in the world. Fakhar is equal to dhawan with rohit slightly better. Meanwhile, Bairstow is the best odi opener atm.

 

[jnaveen1980]

There are so many. But he looks like Pakistan's lifeline. Pakistan cannot imagine a team without him at this point.

 

[Itachi]

There are so many. But he looks like Pakistan's lifeline. Pakistan cannot imagine a team without him at this point.

I see him someone as poor mans sehwag.

 

[jnaveen1980]

I see him someone as poor mans sehwag.

yes. Pakistan is generally known for "laying a strong foundation" before exploding in the end overs. This guy has changed that somewhat. So his form is crucial for their success.

 

[cricketindiafan]

Has scored 550 runs@46 in ODIs and 650 runs@31 in T20s. Others have outscored him by a mile and been doing it for years.

He's quite good and as shown in CT final and today, loves the big stage but long way to go for him. BTW before this series, there were major question marks on his T20 style and suitability!

 

[The_Odd_One]

No, the likes of Warner, Dhawan, Rohit, Bairstow, etc are better.

 

[Hasan123]

There are better LO openers. Rohit ,Bairstow,Dhwaan,Roy,De Kock,Finch,and Guptill are all better than Fakhar.

 

[Angrez Pakistani]

I can’t care less as long as he keeps winning us the matches!

 

[Usman Chadda]

He's clutch. In Amir and Fakhar, we have two players who lift their game in big games

If only Sharjeel was around, Fakhar would have been an even better player right now. For now, he has to worry about the incompetent fool at the other end to not throw his wicket away

 

[Arham_PakFan]

I can’t care less as long as he keeps winning us the matches!

I agree with this.Fakhar is our best LOI opener of the last 20 years.He has been a breath of fresh air.His mental strength is amazing.

 

[gazza619]

Warner and Tamim says hello?

Warner is history mate. And Tamim has not won anything for his country, or club or T20 franchise ever.

 

[Suleiman]

No.

 

[Sam99]

I agree with this.Fakhar is our best LOI opener of the last 20 years.He has been a breath of fresh air.His mental strength is amazing.

20 years? i think he debuted like just around year ago and you consider best already? He is doing great but let him play for another few years.

 

[Smbhayi]

20 years? i think he debuted like just around year ago and you consider best already? He is doing great but let him play for another few years.

hope he won't be another Nasir Jamshed

 

[jadaja]

Let him do it for more than one season before proclaiming anything.

 

[Ab Fan]

He was amazing in CT final as well.

Looks like he is the man for finals.

 

[Ab Fan]

Opening slots have become so important. So many high quality openers around.

Rohit
Dhawan
Guptill
Munro(T20s)
Bairstow/Buttler(actually Buttler opens now in T20s while Bairstow opens in odis)
Roy/Hales
Finch
Warner
Qdk(a bit low on-form)
Tamim

 

[Kaka4pope]

Good aggressive batsman, who is getting better. On current form he's up there, definitely a gun player, just about continuity.

 

[Joseph Gomes]

Hell no. Not even close.

 

[Khan12]

Not the best but can can be up there with the best as long as he keeps working hard and improving his game.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

I think you are forgetting a destructive opening batsman by the name of Imrul Kayes

 

[stevewittry]

There are many, atleast one from each country at present.

Rohit, Shikhar
Finch
Fakhar
Guptill
Bairstow the beast, Roy

I think you are forgetting a destructive opening batsman by the name of Imrul Kayes

Are you serious ?

 

[ManFan]

Nope.

It's JYB.

Johnny "Yorkshire" Bairstow.

 

[Abdullah719]

Fakhar stands out for us because he is Pakistani, and he is a modern day opener.

However, in comparison to the other top openers, he's really one amongst many. There's plenty of similar openers like him around nowadays, many of them at a similar level with a strong track record and consistent performances.

Having said that, he's performed in two tournament finals already which is pretty impressive. Yes, the second one was not so important but it was still a crunch situation.

The likes of Bairstow are still better though, until and unless they display Amla-like tendencies of failing when it matters the most.

 

[BreadPakoda]

Not the best, but one of the best for sure.

Important to see if he lasts or fades away, for one reason or the other, like previous ones.

 

[Savage]

Since his debut,Fakhar has been better than any other opener in Limited overs cricket.

 

[InziRules]

Yes, definitely.

You can sense the frustration of Indian posters who are trying to make Pakistan feel miserable about their team. They know that we are on the up, so they have resorted to calling everything a fluke via their hidden agents, and keep acting like Pakistan team is mediocre, by mentioning people like Finch, who was outshone by Fakhar in this very series, and Rohit and Dhawan, who failed when it mattered in a major final.

Fakhar is the best LOI batsman, and Pakistan are improving. Indians will have to deal with it

 

[troodon]

There are many.

Dhawan, Rohit, Buttler, Bairstow, Roy, Guptill, Finch, Warner (When he returns) are all in the same category as Fakhar Zaman.

One thing that makes Fakhar stand out is that Pak relies way too much on him to win matches. If Fakhar fails, they will not even chase 250 in ODI's and 150 in T20's against good bowling attacks.

 

[jiduguravindra]

Just scored 1000 plus international runs and you calling him the best Loi opener doesn't make any sense

 

[introvert]

Nope.

It's JYB.

Johnny "Yorkshire" Bairstow.

It's YJB - young jonny bairstow

 

[jusarrived]

I have to admit I have been very wrong about Fakhar, only saw him in CT final and thought it was a flukey innings but he was new back then. Still has some technical issues, but that means very little if you are mentally strong. What I like is his approach in power plays and he's clutch, a lot like Dhawan.

At this point would put him behind Butler, Bairstow and Dhawan cos these guys have been doing it for a while but no reason he can't top them in a year or two.
He's your most valuable player atm, Pakistan needs to find a steady opener at other end to support him before others failures start impacting his game.

 

[Rishta Aunty]

No, for a few reasons including the sample size. He's as much the best opening batman as Hasan Ali could be the best bowler. Both are up there, but need to do it over a longer period to seriously contest the moniker.

I'd rate Warner, Dhawan, Bairstow and Rohit above. Even Roy is up there right now. I'm not including Buttler as he usually bats lower in ODI's and opens in T20's.

 

[Kroll]

I have to admit I have been very wrong about Fakhar, only saw him in CT final and thought it was a flukey innings but he was new back then. Still has some technical issues, but that means very little if you are mentally strong. What I like is his approach in power plays and he's clutch, a lot like Dhawan.

At this point would put him behind Butler, Bairstow and Dhawan cos these guys have been doing it for a while but no reason he can't top them in a year or two.
He's your most valuable player atm, Pakistan needs to find a steady opener at other end to support him before others failures start impacting his game.

Unfortunately, this is the perennial problem.

 

[B_Positive]

Well not the best but indeed he is one of he best. Buttler, Fakhar and then Rohit. When these three are playing at their best, they are unstoppable. Fakhar is more consistent than Rohit.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

He is the best Pakistan opener currently but not the best in the world. Guys like Rohit, Dhawan, Warner, Bairstow are ahead of him. But finally Pakistan has one good opener. Players like Shehzad should not be anywhere near Pakistan team.

 

[Monsee]

Has scored 550 runs@46 in ODIs and 650 runs@31 in T20s. Others have outscored him by a mile and been doing it for years.

He's quite good and as shown in CT final and today, loves the big stage but long way to go for him. BTW before this series, there were major question marks on his T20 style and suitability!

List a few of such 'Openers' that have outscored him by a mile, we are talking about openers only mind you?

 

[CadPakFan]

Fakhar has never really done well in the UAE in the past even against WI, the upcoming games will be a test for him.

 

[giri26]

He is for Pakistan now but not in the world. He has to do lot more before he can overtake, Rohit, Dhawan, Guptil etc..

 

[Hasan123]

He never will be the best opener in the world.

 

[proud_pakistani]

Sharjeel was better. Always felt Fakhars stance will cause him to be found out at some point and thats exactly what has happened.

 

[OmarKhan99]

Fakhar has never really done well in the UAE in the past even against WI, the upcoming games will be a test for him.

He was playing well yesterday. Spent some time at the crease, hit a few good shots and was threatening to cut loose, until that unfortunate slip and the non-review.

 

[Rohit_Beardman]

Against Zimbabwe, Bangladesh etc he is no doubt

 

[Pakhs]

He is good and will play good innings for Pak in future but this thread was made at the back of that Zimbabwe series and the OP got blinded. Stupid to say he is the best opener when he is scoring runs against club level Zimbabwe.

 

[Pakhs]

Against Zimbabwe, Bangladesh etc he is no doubt

Bangladesh is respectable bowling unit in Asian conditions at all. But your point against Zimbabwe is valid for this thread.

 

[mayankp.sverige]

Rohit Sharma and David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan

 

[Rohit_Beardman]

Bangladesh is respectable bowling unit in Asian conditions at all. But your point against Zimbabwe is valid for this thread.

Respectable? Ok I have heard enough man, Afghanistan has better bowlers

 

[Pakhs]

Respectable? Ok I have heard enough man, Afghanistan has better bowlers

Afghanistan is respectable too.

 

[Rohit_Beardman]

Afghanistan is respectable too.

You are a nice bloke you show too much respect.

 

[Pakhs]

You are a nice bloke you show too much respect.

Depends what you class as respectable, In my opinion in this Asia cup India's bowling is more than respectable others are respectable for Pakistan.

 

[rhony]

Similar to "Is Umar Akmal better than Kohli" thread not too long ago. He looks like a offside player and is cramped when bowled straight to him. On the leg side, his only stroke seems to be the slog sweep against spinners. Cant rotate the strike. I can go on.

 

[kuskash]

Yes, he is the best opening batsman ATM by miles. People seem to forget CT final knock too early.

 

[MenInG]

Looking good today in 2nd T20I , so far!

 

[Canford Cliffs]

Let's see what he does in Asia Cup. Reserve judgement till then..

Failed miserably.

 

[Baigel]

Similar to "Is Umar Akmal better than Kohli" thread not too long ago. He looks like a offside player and is cramped when bowled straight to him. On the leg side, his only stroke seems to be the slog sweep against spinners. Cant rotate the strike. I can go on.

Please do.

 

[MenInG]

86m six. Pure instinct and power against Milne bowling close to 148kph

 

[CricketDon]

Rohit says hi
Jason Roy says hi
Hales says hi
Dhawan says hi
Warner says hi
Munro says hi

 

[CricketDon]

He’s a slogger whosndoes well once in a blue moon against a top side.

The best minnow bashing opener in the world.

 

[rhony]

Please do.

Don't need to. We've seen him in the Asia cup how Bumrah and Bhuvi played him like a fiddle. Bowl into him and cramp him. Don't give him room on the off. But he's a good player and seems to be a good learner. Saw his pull for a sixer againt Milne yesterday. If he doesn't improve his leg side play on good length and full deliveries against pace, he will regress and he seems to have realized and is making amends already. So let's see

 

[Hawkeye]

There are many, atleast one from each country at present.

Rohit, Shikhar
Finch
Fakhar
Guptill
Bairstow the beast, Roy

I'd say Fakhar isn't any worse than Finch. But depends on where Fakhar goes from here, his consistency.

Just 20s and 30s won't do.

But yes, very very far below Rohit/Dhawan.

 

[rhony]

I'd say Fakhar isn't any worse than Finch. But depends on where Fakhar goes from here, his consistency.

Just 20s and 30s won't do.

But yes, very very far below Rohit/Dhawan.

Just look at the way Rohit or Dhawan play and you will know what is required to score big runs consistently. It's percentage shots initially with controlled aggression and unleash at the later stages. They can score well on both sides of the wicket and more importantly can rotate the strike on both sides of the wicket with considerable ease. Their batting is not about getting bogged down and get desperate for that one release shot. One can't be consistent that way.

 

[Nil Dhumrojal]

Fakhar is below 20 best LOI players and no 1 in pakistan.

 

[MenInG]

Time for Fakhar to show what he's made of! This is his format but has he been damaged by Test failures?

 

[adzzy786]

No.

 

[Shandarchowka]

Fakhar was, when he hit the double hundred. Bairstow is currently the best opener. Fakhar can still come back and claim the title in this series.

 

[Sir Alex]

Take out Zimbabwe and his average is a mediocre 38 in 21 matches. He is promising but has a long way to go before even considered among top 5 or 10 one day batsmen