PCB warns Fakhar Zaman for supporting Babar Azam

Pakistan Cricket Board has issued a very strong warning to Fakhar Zaman after his controversial social media post, which increased the tension between the player and the cricket board. PCB issued a warning to Fakhar Zaman after the batter publicly criticized the exclusion of Babar Azam from the squad for the upcoming second and third Test matches. There was a lot of concern over Babar in Fakhar’s post on X, formerly Twitter, where they felt that deciding to sideline “arguably the best batter Pakistan has ever produced” might send a “deeply negative message across the board.”

Arguing within his post, Fakhar urged the PCB to place the player’s protection over undermining them. His timing was politically wrong to question after the PCB had not formally been able to announce any squad changes. PCB warns Fakhar Zaman for making public comments without addressing his concerns privately, which they considered inappropriate for a centrally contracted player.

This is the reason why the PCB termed the public statement derogatory to the dignity of the game in Pakistan. The PCB issued an official warning to Fakhar Zaman citing that he violated the code of conduct since proper channels exist to pursue grievances with cricket authorities instead of making them public at forums. Fakhar posted the message before the PCB made the first communication to its contracted players complicated since the board expects contracted players to hold it in inappropriate respect.

Here is the Tweet as PCB warns Fakhar Zaman

Fakhar Zaman hasn’t issued a response to the show-cause notice that was issued by the PCB. Also, as of now, the post remains on his social media account. Any disciplinary action that’s taken will be at the discretion of Fakhar’s decision on whether he accepts the charges or does nothing about it. As of now, no other statement has been heard coming from Fakhar in the case.

In the meantime, the PCB had justified its exclusion of Babar Azam stating that it is a rest before the white-ball series against Australia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, but after Pakistan’s latest turn in the Test series, it is becoming increasingly difficult to justify Babar’s exclusion. Babar has been in poor form in Tests. For the last 18 innings, he has not scored a half-century although he was said to have been willing to play the ongoing series.

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