Opening batter Fakhar Zaman, who recently criticised Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for dropping Babar Azam from the Test team, has been removed from the list of centrally contract players for the season 2024-25. After Pakistan’s heavy loss to England in the first Test against England, PCB’s new selection committee took a brave decision to drop out-of-form players, including Babar, from the squad for the remaining two Tests. However, Fakhar called out the PCB over the same with a lengthy post on social media.
Fakhar compared Babar’s run drought with India’s Virat Kohli, who went through a lean patch between 2020 and late 2022. Reacting to Fakhar’s omission from the list of centrally contracted players, fans suggested that the player has been penalised for supporting Babar.
Imagine dropping someone with the calibre that Fakhar has, that too on pitches that suit him, bouncy and quick in Australia, yes he could have been a bit more political but you can’t punish him for expressing his opinion by strapping him from the central contract.
— Hannan (@withhannan) October 27, 2024
Fakhar Zaman sacrificed his career for Babar Azam. He may never be able to play for Pakistan again@FakharZamanLive @babarazam258 pic.twitter.com/pN0ZA9fgaF
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) October 27, 2024
Fakhar brought this upon himself. He was under contract and he acted like a retired cricketer expressing his opinion over non selection of non performing Babar Azam. Stupid move.
Hopefully now Babar Azam will tweet for him https://t.co/WRryMlCngf
— LH (@Edwardian842) October 27, 2024
Meanwhile, during a press conference on Sunday, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi addressed and clarified the reasons behind Fakhar’s omission from the central contracts list.
Naqvi confirmed that while the PCB had sent Fakhar a showcause notice, which is under review, the decision to remove him from the central contract list has been taken due to his fitness concerns.
“There is an issue regarding his tweet, but it is not important as his fitness Test. There is a one showcase notice pending on him. This is why we have not named in the central contracts list,” said Mohsin Naqvi.
“It cannot happen like that if selection committee is not playing one player, then the other players start tweeting to express their displeasure. Players are not allowed to function like this, and we will never allow that. The main issue with him is his fitness Test, that he was not able to clear,” he added.
Mohammad Rizwan was on Sunday named Pakistan’s ODI and T20 captain, replacing Babar Azam, as the selectors announced the squads for the white-ball tours of Australia and Zimbabwe beginning November 4.
Salman Ali Agha was made vice-captain for all future ODI and T20 international assignments.
Pakistan will play three ODIs and as many T20Is in their Australia tour, beginning with the first match in Melbourne (ODI) on November 4, and that will be Rizwan’s first assignment as captain.
Agha will lead the T20I side in Zimbabwe as Rizwan is rested under a workload management plan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement.