The Rise of Zaman Khan: From Obscurity to Superstardom

Pakistan is known for producing some of the greatest fast bowlers in cricket history. Starting from the likes of Fazal Mahmood and Khan Mohammad in the 1950s, the country has consistently produced world-class fast bowlers who have dominated the game.

The long list of fast bowlers continues throughout Pakistan’s history with the likes of Sarfaraz Nawaz, Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, and Mohammad Asif all donning the famous green jersey over the years.

Pakistan’s fast bowling tradition continues to this day, with young talents like Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf carrying the legacy forward. The latest addition to the long list of pacers is two-time Pakistan Super League (PSL) champion, Zaman Khan, who has made a name for himself after two successful seasons with Lahore Qalandars.

Zaman’s meteoric rise from obscurity to making a debut for the national team in a short span of time is nothing but inspirational. The talented young pacer first rose to prominence during the first edition of the Kashmir Premier League (KPL) in 2021.

The 21-year-old began his cricketing journey just like many other Pakistani cricketers, by playing tape-ball cricket back in his hometown, Chakswari, Mirpur in Azad Kashmir. Zaman continued his journey by being picked in the Under-16 trials before making his way to the Northern side of Pakistan’s revamped domestic circuit.

His first big breakthrough came in the KPL as he was selected by Shahid Afridi-led Rawalakot Hawks. His slingy action, coupled with accurate yorkers at the death made him one of the star players in the tournament. Zaman finished as the fourth-highest wicket-taker with 10 wickets at an average of 17.80 and an economy rate of 7.73, as Rawalakot won the inaugural edition of the tournament.

Here is Zaman’s record in KPL 1:

His fantastic displays with the ball made him one of the hottest prospects ahead of the PSL 7 draft. Zaman’s ability to bowl with the new ball and at the backend of the innings helped him secure a PSL contract as Lahore Qalandars picked him in the emerging category in the draft.

With this, Lahore assembled possibly the greatest bowling attack in franchise cricket history, with Shaheen, Haris, Zaman, and Rashid Khan forming a strong bowling unit. Under the guidance of Shaheen and Haris, Zaman did not look back as he played a crucial role in Lahore’s maiden PSL title win.

Zaman finished as the third-highest wicket-taker in his debut season as he picked up 18 wickets at an average of 21.50 and an economy rate of 8.26 in 13 matches he played in the competition. His magnificent ability to hold his nerves and bowl accurate yorkers despite being under immense pressure truly reflected his talent and strong character.

Here is Zaman’s record in PSL 7:

Zaman gained immense popularity after the conclusion of PSL 7 and fans demanded his inclusion in Pakistan’s white-ball setup. But, the Pakistan team management deemed him a bit too inexperienced to be included in the national squad.

The fiery pacer then went back to the domestic circuit and proved his mettle in the National T20 Cup as he continued to improve his skills at the top level. His development continued as Lahore Qalandars stepped onto the field to defend their PSL title in the eighth edition of the tournament.

This time, Zaman was retained by Lahore in the emerging category as they rewarded the speedster for his exceptional displays the previous season. Zaman, once again, proved his worth as he played a pivotal role as Lahore became the first side in the history of PSL to defend their title.

Zaman’s crowning moment came in the final match of the tournament against Multan Sultans as he managed to defend 13 runs off the last over to hand a 1-run victory to Lahore Qalandars, in front of their passionate home crowd.

He picked up 15 wickets at an average of 23.60 and an economy rate of 8.53 as he finished as the seventh-highest wicket-taker in the tournament.

Here is Zaman’s record in PSL 8:

On the back of his impressive performances over the past few seasons, Zaman was finally included in Pakistan’s squad for their T20I series against Afghanistan. The fiery pacer, who is currently playing his first match for his country in the ongoing 1st T20I between Pakistan and Afghanistan, will be hoping to continue his magnificent run and start his international career on the right foot.

Here is Zaman’s overall T20 record: