Pakistan batter Fakhar Zaman recently revealed that England pacer Jofra Archer is the toughest bowler he has faced, surpassing renowned bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and his own teammate, Shaheen Afridi. In an interview with Sports Tak, Fakhar was asked to pick the most challenging bowler from his career. He acknowledged the quality of every international bowler, noting that the difficulty of facing them depends largely on the playing conditions.

Fakhar pointed out that in Test cricket, South Africa’s Vernon Philander posed a significant challenge due to his skill and precision. In spin-friendly conditions, Afghan spinner Rashid Khan and India’s Ravindra Jadeja were also tough opponents. However, when pressed to choose one bowler, Fakhar named Jofra Archer as the toughest. Archer’s express pace and skillful variations have made him a formidable figure in international cricket.

Archer’s career, which began in 2019, has been hampered by injuries, limiting his appearances to just 13 Tests, 27 ODIs, and 29 T20Is so far. His most recent appearance for England came against the West Indies in November 2024. Despite these setbacks, Archer was included in the England squad for the upcoming ODI series against India and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025.

Fakhar also shared his disappointment over India’s decision not to play their ICC Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan. He highlighted the warm hospitality Pakistan’s team received in India during the ODI World Cup and expressed that they would have returned the favor if India had toured Pakistan.

However, due to ongoing political tensions, the BCCI has refused to send the Indian team to Pakistan. Instead, all matches in the 2025 Champions Trophy will be held in Dubai, following an agreement between the PCB and BCCI. Both teams are also set to avoid playing each other in their respective home countries until 2027.

Pakistan and India are in the same group for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, and their highly anticipated clash will take place on February 23. Fakhar Zaman is expected to return to the Pakistan squad for the tournament.