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LAHORE: Sahibzada Farhan made a memorable return to international cricket on Wednesday night, playing a blistering knock that helped Pakistan seal the T20I series against Bangladesh here at Gaddafi Stadium.
The 29-year-old opener, who replaced an unfit Fakhar Zaman in the playing XI for the second T20I, smashed 74 off just 41 balls, laced with 10 boundaries — including six towering sixes.
His fearless approach at the top set the tone for Pakistan’s dominant total of 201-6, eventually leading to a comprehensive 57-run victory.
After receiving his first-ever Player of the Match award in Pakistan colours, an emotional Sahibzada spoke candidly about his journey.
“This is an incredibly emotional moment for me – making my national team comeback and earning my first Player of the Match award for Pakistan. I couldn’t be happier,” he said at the post-match presentation.
Sahibzada Farhan, who has been in and out of the national setup for years despite consistently topping domestic charts, credited his mental growth and domestic grind for this performance.
“I believe I’ve ticked most of the boxes. My domestic cricket experience before franchise cricket taught me the standards required to succeed internationally. This is just the beginning – I’ll keep pushing to improve and work even harder,” he added.
Having missed out on recent tours to South Africa and New Zealand, this was yet another comeback for the right-hander, and he was determined to make it count.
“Fear doesn’t hold me back anymore. This is my third or fourth comeback, and every year I pile up domestic runs to earn my recall. Today, you all witnessed that I play without the fear of failure,” he asserted.
“I stuck to what worked in franchise cricket – staying confident and ready to prove my worth when the opportunity came.”
While Sahibzada Farhan stole the headlines, youngster Hasan Nawaz also impressed with an unbeaten 51 off 26 balls, providing the finishing touches with two fours and three sixes.
In the second half, Pakistan’s bowlers got the job done efficiently. Abrar Ahmed starred with the ball, picking 3-19 in his four overs, as Bangladesh folded for 144 in 19 overs.
With this win, Pakistan have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series. The third and final match will be played on June 1 at the same venue.
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