Pakistan’s opening batter Fakhar Zaman has formally responded to the show-cause notice issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) following his public comments in support of Babar Azam, who was dropped from the national squad for the second and third Test matches against England.
In his official response to the PCB, Fakhar Zaman reaffirmed his respect for the board, clarifying that his remarks came from a place of concern for a teammate and friend. He stated,
Babar Azam is one of the world’s best, and that’s why I felt it was important to speak up. As a fellow cricketer, I believe Babar deserved the chance to overcome his rough patch, as supported by his central contract with the PCB. The PCB is our institution, and we will continue to honour it.
Fakhar took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to voice his concerns about Babar’s exclusion, drawing a striking comparison to India’s treatment of former captain Virat Kohli during his lean phase between 2020 and 2023. Fakhar pointed out that, despite Kohli’s poor form—where his averages dipped to 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50—India never dropped him from the squad, demonstrating the importance of backing key players through tough periods.
“It’s alarming to hear talks of dropping Babar Azam,” Fakhar had Tweeted. “If we’re contemplating benching our premier batsman, arguably the best Pakistan has ever produced, it could send a troubling message to the team.”
His comments prompted a quick inquiry by the PCB officials and he was issued a show-cause notice to explain his actions.
The 34-year-old was in line to make his return to the international side for the upcoming series against Australia but his participation has been thrown under doubt due to a reported niggle.