Days after receiving a show cause notice from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for criticising the move to drop Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman has responded to the board. The cricketer had taken to social media platform X to express his displeasure in dropping the star batter for PAK vs ENG 2nd Test, inviting the wrath of the board. He has now responded to the notice and reiterated that Babar Azam should be given more chances and must be backed despite being in miserable form.
Fakhar Zaman responds to PCB’s notice, backs Babar Azam
As per Cricket Pakistan, Fakhar Zaman claimed that he was “compelled to express his opinion” as Babar Azam was ‘one of the best batters in the world”. He said that the former Pakistan skipper deserved more chances amid tough times. However, he softened his stance on the PCB, affirming that the board was the premier institution and that he intended to respect it.
“Babar Azam is one of the best batters in the world, and that’s why I felt compelled to express my opinion. I believe Babar Azam deserved a chance during tough times, reflecting on the PCB’s central contract as a fellow player,” Fakhar Zaman said.
Latest news
The trouble began when Fakhar Zaman hit out at the selection of the squad for PAK vs ENG 2nd and 3rd Test and vented his frustration via a social media post. In an eye-opening moment, the revamped Pakistan selection committee finally decided to crack the whip and dropped Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah from the playing XI. Zaman even went on to compare Babar Azam with Virat Kohli, arguing that the Pakistan star should be backed in tough times just like how the BCCI supports the Indian batting maestro.
Fakhar Zaman’s social media outburst and the show cause notice that followed has cast aspersions on his inclusion in the squad for Pakistan’s upcoming white-ball tour to Australia. Meanwhile, the selection committee is expected to announce the squad, alongside naming a new white-ball captain, shortly.’ Babar Azam had stepped down as the ODI skipper following Pakistan debacle in the World Cup in 2023. Recently, he resigned as the T20I skipper as well after the side’s miserable campaign in the T20 World Cup.
