Fakhar at it again with historic ODI first

Top-order sensation Fakhar Zaman added another record to his burgeoning resume in Bulawayo on Sunday, becoming the first man to post 500 runs in a five-match ODI series as Pakistan completed a series whitewash against Zimbabwe.

Fresh from a record-breaking 210no in the fourth match, Fakhar added a comparatively sedate 85 from 83 balls as Pakistan piled on 4-364 to ultimately earn a 131-run win, the opening batsman finishing the series with 515 runs at 257.50.

Those runs came via scores of 60, 117no, 43no, 210no and 85.

Ironically, the previous highest run-scorer in a five-match ODI series was Zimbabwe captain Hamilton Masakadza, who crashed 467 against Kenya in October 2009 but was powerless to stop Fakhar taking his record.

Only Virat Kohli, a man considered by many as the greatest ODI batsman ever, has scored more runs in a bilateral ODI series; the current India captain plundered 558 in a six-match series against South Africa earlier this year.

Fakhar, 28, has enjoyed an incredible – if belated – beginning to his international career.

During his innings on Sunday, he also eclipsed a long-standing record, first set by Viv Richards in 1980, to become the fastest man to post 1000 ODI runs.

Since Richards passed 1000 runs in his 21st ODI innings more than 38 years ago, four men have equalled that mark: England pair Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trott, South Africa's Quinton de Kock, and most recently, Fakhar's Pakistan teammate, Babar Azam.

Match scorecard here

But the left-hander's flurry of runs against Zimbabwe pushed him to the top of the pile, with Sunday's effort just his 18th ODI innings after he debuted a year ago in the Champions Trophy in England – a tournament he helped Pakistan win.

"Pakistan will benefit a lot from him, he is such a talent that he can help Pakistan win the World Cup," said his opening partner, Imam-ul-Haq, after they put on a world record stand of 304 for the first wicket in the fourth match.

"It's early days in his career and it takes players years to achieve what he has done. I hope Allah helps him to play many long innings."