The Pakistan Cricket Board, or PCB, on Tuesday served a show cause notice on centrally contracted player Fakhar Zaman for an alleged breach of the players’ code of conduct. This was in response to his social media post criticizing the exclusion of Babar Azam from the squad for the second and third Tests against England. The PCB has asked Fakhar to respond by October 21, mentioning his criticism of board policies and selection decisions as violating his contract.
Fakhar, in a post on X, voiced his concern about the decision to drop Babar and told how important it is to support key players. He said,
“It’s concerning to hear suggestions about sidelining Babar Azam. India didn’t bench Virat Kohli during his tough phase between 2020 and 2023, despite his average being 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50.”
Fakhar’s views mirror the general belief on what such a move would mean for a player considered among the best in Pakistan.
“If we think of benching our main batsman, that could give a negative vibe throughout the team. We don’t need to press the panic button just yet; rather, we should focus on saving our main players rather than losing them,”
He said.
Less than a week after having scored 556 runs in their first innings, Pakistan axed Babar Azam along with ex-captain Sarfaraz Ahmed and star bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah following the dismal performance in the first test. After much criticism, the PCB explained that these changes were for the betterment of Pakistan cricket.
The PCB spokesperson has announced that the players were rested to allow them to return revitalized. This move comes with the reconstitution of the men’s selection committee, which now comprises Aleem Dar, Aaqib Javed, Azhar Ali, and Hassan Cheema.
