Fakhar Zaman Recalls The Story Behind Iconic Ton Vs India In 2017 Champions Trophy Final

Fakhar Zaman reflects on his historic ton that inspired Pakistan to their maiden ICC Champions Trophy title. Read below.

Fakhar Zaman's knock proved to be crucial, as Pakistan thrashed India in the Final to win the ICC Champions Trophy 2017

Source : @X/ICC

Pakistan cricketer Fakhar Zaman has shared an interesting story behind the iconic ton he scored against India in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy Final. The left-handed batsman scored a scintillating 114 off 106 balls, as Pakistan defeated India to won their maiden CT title.

Upon sharing his story, the batter told that he 'was not well' a day prior to the final and really thought that 'he could not play'.

"I was not well the day before the game. I even talked to Mickey and said I won’t be able to play the game. He said you go out there and get a duck first ball, it doesn’t matter,you have to play that game. I managed to play but I remember that I didn’t sleep well that night and he forced me to play. I’m pleased he did!," said Fakhar Zaman.

The 34-year-old also added that him and Shadab Khan shared a coversation on 'getting out to a no-ball', whioh eventually proved to be the incident during the final, as Jasprit Bumrah got him out, but Fakhar Zaman survived due to a no-ball.

"I had been talking to Shadab (Khan) and somebody got out on a no-ball when we were watching a game. I said ‘I’d love to get out to a no-ball’. I just said it randomly because whenever you get out, I always look to the umpire hoping they will say ‘wait while we check the no-ball’ and nothing happens and I end up back in the dressing room," said the Pakistani.

"The same thing happened in that game, I got out to a no-ball. Kumar Dharmasena was the third umpire and I was going out. From the boundary, he said ‘wait there’. I was halfway back and when I saw that, I was 100% sure it was a no-ball. After that, I thought maybe it’s my day," he added.

"It was special back in Pakistan. I didn’t expect anything like that and I have never seen anything like that in my whole life. For many weeks, people from 500km or more away would come to take a picture. It was unbelievable and it was something special. The way we made people at that time, I wish I could do more things like that," concluded Zaman.