Daily Times

Pakistan cricketer Fakhar Zaman has clarified his position regarding a post he made in October supporting Babar Azam, which had sparked controversy.

During Pakistan’s home series against England,Fakhar took to his official X (formerly Twitter) account to express his disappointment over Babar’s exclusion from the last two Tests. His post followed a series of poor performances by Babar, 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, there was widespread speculation that his post in support of Babar was the real reason. In an interview with a private media outlet, Fakhar addressed the situation and explained his actions. He admitted that, in hindsight, he may have reconsidered posting the tweet but clarified that it was never meant to criticize the board’s decision. “People misunderstood that I criticized the board’s decision, which is 100% wrong,” he said.

Fakhar revealed that his post was directed at journalists and former players who had called for Babar’s removal from the squad. “I saw news in the days leading up to the tweet where journalists and ex-players were suggesting Babar should be dropped. It was bothering me, and I felt compelled to voice my support,” he explained.

He also emphasised that he tweeted before the official team announcement and wouldn’t have done so after, respecting his position as a player under contract with the PCB.

Regarding his fitness issues, Fakhar stated that he had requested a two-month rest from the PCB due to health concerns. He later discovered that he was suffering from Hyperthyroidism. “I didn’t know about my illness when the team left for Australia. Looking back, I’m relieved I didn’t travel because I wouldn’t have been able to perform in such a condition,” he added.