'There is pressure on us': Pakistan's ICC trophy drought adds to players' burden
Pakistan last reached the final of an ICC tournament at the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, where they lost to England in Melbourne.
Experienced Pakistan cricketer Fakhar Zaman has expressed hope that his team can finally win an international trophy by reaching the 2023 ICC World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Speaking to the media in Rawalpindi, Fakhar noted that Pakistan's players had held in-depth talks about ending the country's ICC title drought that began in 2017.
He acknowledged the pressure on the team to deliver a major international trophy, adding that strong performances bring public appreciation, while poor showings lead to disappointment. Fakhar emphasized that winning a trophy feels different from reaching the latter stages of a tournament and that the team is taking the upcoming World Cup very seriously.
The upcoming tri-series involving England and Sri Lanka will be crucial for Pakistan's preparations, as the team seeks to finalize the right combination for next year's ODI World Cup. Fakhar also pointed out the importance of playing domestic 50-over cricket before facing international opposition in the format. While the team suffered a 0-3 Test series loss to England recently, Fakhar downplayed concerns, noting that red-ball and white-ball cricket require different approaches.
Changes within the team have given the players hope for the World Cup, with Fakhar confident that preparations are progressing well.
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