He clarified that the post was not aimed at the PCB but rather at those demanding Babar to be dropped from the team.
Fakhar Zaman, the opener of Pakistan, has emphasized that he did not intend his recent tweet endorsing skipper Babar Azam as a critique of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). After receiving criticism, the left-handed batter was excluded from the PCB’s central contracts list for the 2024–25 season.
Days before the squad was announced for the England Test series, Fakhar tweeted his support for Babar in the face of criticism from reporters and former players. According to some reports, he was dropped from tour of South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Australia due to that post.
“I did think later it would have been better if I hadn’t posted the tweet,” Fakhar stated in an interview with a private media source. However, it was misinterpreted as a critique of the board’s choice, which is completely incorrect. He clarified that the post was not aimed at the PCB but rather at those demanding Babar to be dropped from the team.
About three days before the team announcement, I sent out a tweet. I noticed some former players and journalists arguing that Babar ought to be fired. I reacted because I thought they were undervaluing his contributions. He added that it wasn’t a critique of the board.
Fakhar also talked about his fitness issues, disclosing that he had asked for a two-month break following his hyperthyroidism diagnosis.
“When the squad was departing for Australia, I was unaware of my condition. I discovered later that I had hyperthyroidism. You can’t perform in that state, therefore I’m glad I didn’t go with the squad,” he remarked.
PCB Chief Naqvi had previously said that Fakhar’s absence was due to both his tweet and his fitness concerns. “He was excluded from the central contracts list primarily due to the fitness test and a pending show-cause notice,” Naqvi clarified.
Aaqib Javed, the interim white-ball coach, also addressed Fakhar’s absence by pointing to his fitness issues. Fakhar has played for Pakistan for many years and is a match-winner. He and I are in conversation. The selection committee would undoubtedly take him into consideration once he is fit again, Aaqib stated.
In June of 2024, Fakhar Zaman made his final appearance for Pakistan at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Once the famous opener gets beyond his fitness issues, fans expect to see him back in action.
