Fakhar Zaman’s future in Pakistan’s white-ball cricket squad is in jeopardy as the 34-year-old faces scrutiny for his recent actions, which could lead to his exclusion from the upcoming tour of Australia. Earlier this month, Zaman publicly expressed support for Babar Azam after the captain was dropped from the playing XI against England.
In a viral tweet, Fakhar Zaman criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and questioned their decision-making, which drew backlash from the board. In response, the PCB issued a show-cause notice requiring Zaman to explain his public criticism.
Read More: PCB postpones fey first-class tournament: Quaid-e-Azam Trophy
Fakhar Zaman fitness concerns
Adding to his woes, Zaman has reportedly been struggling with knee issues, which impacted his performance in a recent fitness test. According to Cricket Pakistan, he failed to complete a two-kilometer run within the required eight minutes after returning from the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2024 season.
Despite his fitness struggles, Zaman participated in the President’s Cup Grade-I (1-Day) matches for Pakistan Television, further straining his knee.
Recently, he also made candid remarks during a training camp regarding the PCB’s stringent new policies on issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for players participating in overseas T20 leagues. While there have been speculations about Zaman being a potential captaincy replacement for Pakistan’s white-ball setup, his current position in the squad remains uncertain.
The Pakistan cricket team is set to tour Australia in November for a series of three ODIs and three T20I matches, and Zaman’s inclusion in the squad is now in question.
