Fakhar Zaman confident of Pakistan comeback ahead of 2025 Champions Trophy

"A 100%, I will play for Pakistan (again)," Fakhar, told the Vipers Voices podcast, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

"Actually, many people do not know about that, but after the T20 World Cup I got sick and because of the medical condition I was not fit, so I was not a part of the team," he said.

"But now I [have] recovered 100%, and you will see me in the next white-ball series which Pakistan play," he added.

Once a vital player in Pakistan's white-ball setup, Fakhar has been out of the international scene since the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies, where Pakistan faced an early exit in the group stage. His last ODI appearance was during the 2023 ODI World Cup. Despite this, the left-handed opener remains optimistic about earning a spot in the Champions Trophy squad on home soil.

The Champions Trophy holds special significance for Fakhar, as he rose to fame during the 2017 edition. His match-winning 114 in the final against India at The Oval cemented his place in the Pakistan team.

"My plan has been around the Champions Trophy," he said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

"I did not play in the Australia tour or in the South Africa tour, so my whole plan was just to play in the Champions Trophy, to make myself available and to be fully fit for the tournament," he added.

"That was in the back of my mind, and I am thankful, and I am lucky to be fit right now. I started from the Champions Trophy 2017 and that went really well for me and now I am very excited for the next edition also. I talked to the selectors, the head coach, and everyone wanted me to play in the Champions Trophy," Fakhar noted.

Fakhar has heaped praise on Pakistan's 22-year-old opener Saim Ayub, who has been in outstanding form across formats. Ayub's ODI career has started on a remarkable note, with three centuries and a half-century in just nine innings, including tons in Australia and South Africa. However, an ankle fracture sustained during the second Test against South Africa in Cape Town has cast doubts over Ayub's participation in the Champions Trophy.

"I hope and I believe that he will recover quickly, and I was thinking yesterday to call Saim just to talk to him about this injury," Fakhar said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

"Believe me, he is such a great player that if he continues to play for the next four to five years, he will be at the top and he will be amongst the top three players in the world," he added.

While Fakhar is eager to reclaim his position as an opener, the competition for the top-order slots remains fierce. Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Saim Ayub, if fit, are likely to occupy the key positions.

"In Pakistan, we have three of the best players in the world in Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Saim Ayub, so sometimes I feel lucky to be in the team even if I am not able to make my place in the team as an opener," Fakhar noted.

"If the team has faith in me and they want me to bat at number four or five, that totally makes sense, because for me the team is always first and I play wherever the team wants me to play, but I always prefer to open," he added.

Ahead of his potential international return, Fakhar is preparing for his first International League T20 (ILT20) season, where he will play for the 2023 runners-up Desert Vipers. The tournament kicks off on January 11, with the Dubai Capitals facing MI Emirates in the opening match in Dubai.

"There are many Pakistani players who have played for the Desert Vipers including Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Azam Khan and Mohammad Amir and they talk really highly about this team, the environment, the management, the way they play the cricket and the way their mindset is," Fakhar said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

"So when I got the offer, without any discussion with anyone, I said 'yes, I would love to play for this team,'" he added.

Fakhar's return to form and fitness will be critical as Pakistan look to assemble a strong squad for the prestigious Champions Trophy on home soil. (ANI)