The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reprimanded star batter Fakhar Zaman for his public remarks regarding the exclusion of former captain Babar Azam from the ongoing Test series against England. The PCB has issued a show-cause notice to Zaman, asking him to explain his comments about Babar’s omission from the squad.
The controversy began when the PCB announced its 16-man squad for the remaining two Test matches against England, leaving out Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Naseem Shah due to their recent dip in form. Shocked by this decision, Fakhar Zaman took to his social media account on X (formerly known as Twitter) just minutes before the official squad announcement to express his discontent.
‘India didn’t bench Virat Kohli during his rough stretch’ – Fakhar Zaman on Babar Azam’s omission
Fakhar voiced his concerns over Babar’s exclusion, stating that such a decision could negatively impact the morale of the team. He also compared the PCB’s approach to that of the Indian cricket board, which continued to support Virat Kohli during his lean phase.
Zaman tweeted, “It is concerning to hear suggestions about dropping Babar Azam. India didn’t bench Virat Kohli during his rough stretch between 2020 and 2023, when he averaged 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50, respectively. If we are considering sidelining our premier batsman, arguably the best Pakistan has ever produced, it could send a deeply negative message across the team. There is still time to avoid pressing the panic button; we should focus on safeguarding our key players rather than undermining them.”
The PCB has responded by asking Fakhar Zaman to submit a detailed explanation within a week, clarifying why he chose to publicly express his dissatisfaction with the board’s decision.
This incident is expected to strain relations between Zaman and the PCB, as it is not the first time the batter has expressed concerns about the board’s handling of players. Previously, Fakhar reportedly approached PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi regarding delays in the issuance of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for players wanting to participate in global franchise cricket, allegedly caused by PCB Director of International Cricket Operations, Usman Wahla.
