Sahibzada Farhan: Once made documentary on hitting sixes off Bumrah, now a World Cup centurion

TimesofIndia.com successful Colombo: Sahibzada Farhan has seldom been retired of the news. From making a documentary aft hitting Jasprit Bumrah for 3 sixes during the Asia Cup, to picking Ahmad Shehzad implicit legends similar Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara, oregon his gunshot solemnisation aft scoring a 50 against India, Farhan has ne'er shied distant from expressing himself.Having gone unsold successful the Pakistan Super League, helium finished arsenic the starring tally scorer successful home cricket. He's besides challenged Pakistan cricket absorption implicit the deficiency of opportunities astatine the apical of the order. On Wednesday, the 29-year-old completed a singular afloat ellipse astatine the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground successful Colombo, becoming lone the 2nd Pakistani batter to people a period successful T20 World Cup history, aft his idol Ahmad Shehzad.Ahmad Shehzad was among the archetypal to applaud Farhan’s outstanding knock. He wrote connected X: “A historical period successful the T20 World Cup and present the 2nd Pakistani ever to execute this milestone. I ever believed successful you and you proved your people to the world. Congratulations, champion. So blessed for your achievement.”

Farhan produced a memorable 100 to steer Pakistan to a commanding 199 for 3 against Namibia. It was an uphill pursuit for Namibia, and the autumn of wickets astatine regular intervals besides didn't assistance their case, arsenic they skittled for 97 runs. Pakistan defeated Namibia by 102 runs and with this convincing triumph the Salman Ali Agha-led squad cemented their spot successful the Super Eight.

Scratchy start

Opting to bat first, Pakistan made 2 changes from their dense decision against India, leaving retired Shaheen Shah Afridi and Abrar Ahmed. Khawaja Nafay and Salman Mirza were brought in, with Afridi’s omission pursuing a mediocre outing against India.The commencement was cautious. JJ Smit delivered an fantabulous opening over, keeping Saim Ayub connected the backmost ft with question into the batter earlier finishing with an outswinger. Just 3 runs came from it.

Farhan opened his relationship with a bound disconnected Gerhard Erasmus, courtesy of a misfield astatine cover, but Namibia kept things choky early.Ayub showed flashes of intent against Ruben Trumpelmann with a swivel disconnected his pads, though helium rode his luck arsenic a heavy extracurricular borderline flew past a diving Zane Green. That implicit yielded 12 runs and allowed Pakistan immoderate breathing space.Jack Brassell’s instauration unsettled Farhan initially with his backmost of a magnitude bowling, but the opener yet broke escaped erstwhile a transportation flew implicit the keeper for four, his archetypal authoritative changeable aft 24 balls.

Confidence followed rapidly arsenic Farhan struck backmost to backmost boundaries disconnected Trumpelmann.Ayub’s enactment ended successful the 5th over. A harmless wide transportation tempted him into a escaped poke and helium edged down for 14. Captain Salman Ali Agha past joined Farhan and instantly injected momentum with a crisp chopped past the point.Pakistan reached 47 for 1 astatine the extremity of the powerplay, but the mediate overs brought pressure. Spinners Willem Myburgh and Bernard Scholtz bowled with discipline, conceding small and choking onslaught rotation.

Finding his groove

The merchandise came erstwhile Salman danced down the way to loft Myburgh consecutive for the archetypal six of the match. Farhan followed 3 balls later, clearing mid wicket doubly arsenic Myburgh’s 2nd implicit went for 22. Farhan was visibly struggling with cramps but refused to dilatory down.At the halfway stage, Pakistan were 85 for 1. Salman continued to attack, swiping Smit implicit good limb and lifting Scholtz for different six. Farhan reached his 50 disconnected 37 balls, scratchy but effective, built connected perseverance alternatively than fluency.The 67-run basal ended erstwhile Brassell induced a mistimed loft from Salman, who departed for a brisk 38. Salman had besides played a cardinal relation successful helping Farhan refine his method against short-pitched bowling.“Salman gave maine invaluable tips that helped amended my equilibrium and on-side play. Now I’m scoring much freely successful that area,” Farhan had told Geo Super during PSL 2025.Khawaja Nafay was sent up of Babar Azam and struck a bound archetypal ball, but his enactment was little arsenic Erasmus removed him with a well-judged catch.Shadab Khan

walked successful next, and Pakistan’s intent was clear. Farhan, present successful afloat travel contempt terrible cramps, accessed his 4th gear. He hammered Smit implicit agelong off, forcing a shot change, and greeted the caller shot with different boundary. Brassell was past taken isolated for a six and a 4 arsenic Farhan closed successful connected history.On his knees betwixt deliveries, Farhan yet reached his period disconnected 57 balls, raising his limb successful celebration.

He became lone the 2nd Pakistani to people a T20 World Cup hundred. The sound was built connected resolve, musculus and cleanable timing, and was studded with eleven fours and 4 sixes. His 50 came disconnected 37 balls, and helium raced to the adjacent 50 successful conscionable 20.Shadab provided the finishing touches with an unbeaten 36 disconnected 22 balls arsenic Pakistan posted 199 for 3, powered by a defining innings from Sahibzada Farhan.

The rocky journey

Farhan made his planetary debut successful 2018. His vocation began successful bizarre fashion, stumped without facing a shot disconnected a Glenn Maxwell wide.

In his adjacent crippled against Australia, helium opened with Babar Azam and scored 39 disconnected 38 balls. He played 9 matches for Pakistan, batting astatine aggregate positions, earlier being pushed down the bid and fading from the setup.In 2024, portion captaining Pakistan A, helium publically criticised the absorption for unfair attraction and challenged the opening slots of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. “I did not get due chances arsenic an opener.

I person the close to play arsenic an opener for Pakistan,” helium said then.Despite aggregating 605 runs successful the 2025 National T20 Cup - the astir successful a azygous play - Farhan initially went unsold astatine the PSL 2025 auction. Islamabad United aboriginal picked him successful the supplementary category, and helium repaid the religion by finishing arsenic the tournament’s starring tally scorer with 449 runs successful 12 innings.Farhan erstwhile dreamed of becoming a accelerated bowler. “I started arsenic a accelerated bowler successful tape-ball cricket, but aft a disastrous over, my manager asked maine to absorption connected batting,” helium had told Cricfrenzy during the BPL.After a agelong and rocky journey, the explosive opener has recovered his groove. Since 2025, helium is the lone batter successful the satellite to people 5 T20 centuries. If Pakistan are to spell heavy successful the tournament, overmuch volition beryllium connected however Farhan bats astatine the top.Cricket careers seldom determination successful consecutive lines, and Farhan’s has been thing but smooth. Yet connected a humid Colombo afternoon, the opener who erstwhile waited connected the fringes, questioned, doubted and overlooked, answered each question the lone mode that genuinely matters successful cricket - with runs.Brief Scores Pakistan: 199 for 4 successful 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 100 not out, Salman Agha 38, Shadab Khan 36 not out; Jack Brassell 2/48)Namibia: (Louren Steenkamp 23, Alexander Busing-Volschenk 20; Shadab Khan 3/19, Usman Tariq 4/16)