RAWALPINDI: Experienced Pakistan batter Fakhar Zaman on Friday said that the forthcoming One-day International tri-series on home soil will prove vital for the team ahead of next year’s ICC World Cup.
“Our ODI team combination is well-balanced, and all players have the upcoming [50-over] World Cup in mind,” Fakhar said while talking to media at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium where Pakistan squad practised for the tri-series.
“All players of the ODI team are coming into this tri-series after featuring in the [domestic] first-class season, which has given them an opportunity to gain rhythm, overcome mistakes, and prepare better mentally and physically.
“Though there is a [significant] difference between domestic and international cricket, playing first-class games helps one get accustomed to playing long-duration cricket, which also benefits the player in the ODI format,” the 36-year-old, who has amassed 3861 runs in 92 ODIs at an impressive average of 45.42, added.
Pakistan is hosting a tri-series, also featuring Sri Lanka and England, from Oct 18 to 31 in Rawalpindi and Lahore. Pakistan meet Sri Lanka in the opening match of the event in Rawalpindi on Sunday.
To a question, the left-handed batter while acknowledging that there was a significant difference between red-ball and white-ball cricket, insisted the team’s focus remained on performing well in the tri-series while also preparing for the World Cup.
He added, “The team’s goal is to play excellent cricket [in the tri-series], secure wins, and live up to the expectations of the fans.”
While recalling that Pakistan had reached semi-finals and finals of some major events in the past, Fakhar emphasised “the real joy lies in winning the trophy”.
“All the players are determined to perform well in the [2027] World Cup and bring home the global honour for the country and the nation,” he said.
VARIETY OF WICKETS HELPFUL
Meanwhile, Pakistan batting coach Michael Smith, who has also worked across two Pakistan Super League seasons, is aiming to get the best out of the batters in the forthcoming months through his diverse coaching philosophy and gritty work ethic.
“I think we played really well against Sri Lanka [in the recent T20s] on some wickets that we asked for a little bit of pace and bounce because that’s what we are going to be getting in 12 months in the World Cup. So, it is good to play on a whole variety of wickets not just on one type of pitch,” Smith said while talking to the PCB Digital during Pakistan’s training session in Rawalpindi.
With one eye on the much-anticipated 50-over global event in his homeland, Smith added, “In the World Cup you are going to be playing in different places in South Africa and Zimbabwe where you could come across five different pitches in five different games.”
Talking about his approach when it comes to helping the batters prepare well, South African Smith alluded to the concept of problem solving as a batter.
“The biggest thing that we talk about is problem solving and being able to have the skillset to play on different wickets against different bowling attacks because when you get into games you want your batters to be able to think about [right] things and make good choices and be able to play in different ways within their own game,” he said.
“The best batters in the world, problem solve exceptionally well and they almost think what’s important now for the team and that’s our biggest thing going forward as to how can we build that a lot into our squad. Winning games from different places, can you win a game from being in front or from being behind.”
Also on Friday, a 16-member England squad, led by Harry Brook, arrived in Islamabad for the tri-series. Pakistan last faced England in an ODI three years ago at the ICC World Cup in Kolkata.
Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2026
