Fakhar Zaman, the opening batsman of Pakistan’s national cricket team, has been making headlines after expressing his support for Babar Azam, which led to his exclusion from the team.
Fakhar had criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for resting Babar Azam for two matches during the series against England, prompting the PCB to issue him a show-cause notice.
In a recent viral video, Fakhar was seen on a private TV show with fast bowlers Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi. During the show, the host asked Fakhar if Babar Azam would ever join the Lahore Qalandars team. Fakhar, laughing, lowered his head and declined to mention Babar’s name. His teammates, including Haris Rauf, joked, saying, “The camera is on; now he will get another notice.”
Previously, Fakhar had posted on social media, comparing the treatment of Babar to that of Indian cricketer Virat Kohli, who was not given rest during his poor form, questioning why Babar was rested and why he was issued a notice for speaking out.
In response to the notice, Fakhar clarified that Babar Azam is one of the best batsmen globally and a close friend, and his remarks were made out of friendship, not malice. Fakhar was subsequently excluded from the squad for the Australia and Zimbabwe series and was also denied a central contract by the PCB.
