Lahore Qalandars opener Fakhar Zaman went ballistic at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore as he smashed Peshawar Zalmi bowlers for 10 sixes on February 26. With 10 sixes in his 96-run knock, Zaman broke Shadab Khan's record for most sixes by a Pakistan batter in Pakistan Super League (PSL) history.
Only one batter has hit more sixes in an innings in PSL history. Australia's Ben Dunk hit 12 sixes in his unbeaten 40-ball 99 against Karachi Kings in PSL 2020.
Zaman's 45-ball 96 helped Qalandars post 241/3, the third-highest total in the tournament's history. It is also Qalandars' highest total. Their previous-highest was 209/5 which came against Quetta Gladiators in 2020 edition.
While Zaman scored at a strike rate of 213.33, he did not start off in a destructive fashion. In the powerplay overs, he scored just eight runs from 11 deliveries. The southpaw hit his first boundary in the eighth over off Salman Irshad's bowling. His first six came off the next over bowled by Rovman Powell. At halfway stage, he had scored 30 runs from 24 balls.
The 32-year-old reached his half-century in the 14th over with a six off Saad Masood. He followed it up with two more sixes. In the 18th over, he went after Powell hitting him for two fours and two sixes. He missed out on a century as Powell managed to get his wicket after an expensive over. Zaman’s knock had 10 sixes and just three fours. When he got out, Qalandars’ score was 215/3.
Zaman had support from other end as well. When he was not hitting boundaries, Abdullah Shafique did the bulk of scoring. He scored 75 runs off 41 deliveries including five fours and as many sixes in the 120-run second-wicket partnership.
After Shafique lost his wicket to Wahab Riaz in the 13th over, wicketkeeper-batter Sam Billings contributed with a 23-ball 47 which was laced with five fours and three sixes. Namibia all-rounder David Wiese also chipped in with eight runs off four deliveries.
“I think we complicate it for ourselves at times by thinking too much. Crowd is electric, my first T20 experience of playing in Pakistan as well, so it’s great. (On Fakhar Zaman) He held his shape while playing those shots and today he was just all class,” Billings said after a run-fest at Lahore.
