'I regret losing the match': Fakhar Zaman puts team's cause ahead of personal milestone

Pakistan opening batsman Fakhar Zaman has said that he does t regret missing double ton in second ODI against South Africa at Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Sunday, but he does regret t being able to take his team past finish line.

Zaman, who wd a lone battle as he kept on losing his batting partners from or end at regular intervals was run out in a controversial manner in final over for 193 i.e. just seven runs short of his second double century in 50-overs format.

'I regret losing match': Fakhar Zaman

"I don't regret t getting double, I regret losing match. If we had won this it would've been amazing so my regret is about that. situation was such that I was only focusing on getting win, t double. I couldn't finish it but I'd take scoring fewer runs than this and winning game," ESPNcricinfo quoted Zaman as saying.

"Yes, to be honest, I thought we could win it even n, I think around 25th over I just called Sarfraz Ahmed, he kws my game, I talked to him and said ask Babar can I start playing my natural game because Shamsi was bowling with small boundaries. At that time I was feeling that if I start hitting n I could win game for Pakistan," he added.

Fakhar Zaman's valiant kck goes in vain

South Africa, who were asked to bat first by Pakistan skipper Babar Azam finished ir innings at 341/6 from ir 50 overs riding on stellar contributions from ir top and middle order including likes of wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock (80), skipper Temba Bavuma (92), Rassie van der Dussen (60), and, David Miller (50) respectively.

In reply, 1992 World Cup winners lost Imam-ul-Haq early after which Fakhar and skipper Babar added 63 runs for second-wicket stand before latter's dismissal. At 120/5, visitors were starring down barrel but, Zaman played a counter-attacking kck and showed great intent as he looked to take his side past finish line.

However, with asking rate getting steeper and support from or end, it was tough for him to get job done single-handedly as Pak needed 31 runs from final over with just a couple of wickets in hand and once opening batsman was run out of very first ball, it was end of road for Champions Trophy holders as y were restricted to 324/9 from ir 50 overs.

Proteas registered a 17-run win to level three-match series 1-1. 

(With ANI Inputs)