Pakistan cricketer Fakhar Zaman has clarified the controversy surrounding his October post supporting Babar Azam. During a home series against England, Fakhar posted on his official X account (formerly Twitter), expressing disappointment over Babar’s exclusion from the last two Tests. This came after Babar had underperformed, leading to his omission.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) responded by issuing a show-cause notice to Fakhar and removing him from the central contracts list. Fakhar was also excluded from tours to Australia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. While the PCB attributed his exclusion to fitness issues, speculation suggested that his post in support of Babar was the real reason.
Read: PCB Issues Show-Cause Notice to Fakhar Zaman Over Babar Azam Support
In an interview with a private media outlet, Fakhar discussed the situation. “It was a misunderstanding; I did not intend to criticize the board,” he explained.
Fakhar revealed that his post aimed to counter the views of journalists and former players advocating for Babar’s removal. “The calls for Babar’s removal bothered me, prompting me to voice my support,” he noted.
He also mentioned that he tweeted before the official team announcement, asserting that he would not have done so afterwards, respecting his role as a contracted player.
On his health, Fakhar shared that he had requested a two-month rest from the PCB due to health issues and later discovered he had Hyperthyroidism. “I was unaware of my illness when the team left for Australia. Looking back, not travelling was a relief, as I couldn’t have performed well,” he added.
