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Pakistan and Antigua & Barbuda Falcons opener Fakhar Zaman has left the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) to participate in the Champions One-day Cup, Pakistan's new domestic 50-over competition being held from September 12 to 29.
Fakhar is set to arrive in Pakistan on September 10 and will play for the Wolves, led by Mohammad Rizwan. During his CPL stint, Fakhar was the Falcons' top scorer, amassing 159 runs in five innings with an average of 31.80 and a strike rate of 133.61. Despite Fakhar's departure, his teammates Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir will remain with the Falcons, prioritizing the CPL over the domestic tournament. Guyana Amazon Warriors' Azam Khan has also decided to stay in the CPL. In Fakhar's absence, Brandon King debuted for the Falcons, filling in at the top order after recovering from a side injury sustained during the 2024 T20 World Cup. King made an impactful return, scoring 29 off 16 balls, which helped the Falcons chase down a target of 154 successfully. Sherfane Rutherford of St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots has withdrawn from the tournament for personal reasons. This announcement came midway through their final home game of the season against Antigua and Barbuda Falcons. A replacement for Rutherford is yet to be announced. The 26-year-old, featured in just four games this season, scoring 35 runs at a strike rate of 194.44. His absence leaves a significant gap in the Patriots' lineup, forcing them to use Dominic Drakes, primarily a bowling allrounder, in the no. 7 batting position against the Falcons. The Patriots are struggling at the bottom of the points table, with only one win out of six matches. In their recent match, despite a commendable effort from Sri Lankan wrist-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, who took four wickets, the Patriots could not defend a target of 153 on a challenging pitch. The team has been unable to break their losing streak at Basseterre, having lost 11 consecutive completed games at home since their CPL 2021 victory. (ANI)
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