Fakhar Zaman Breaks Silence on Babar Tweet and Contract Controversy

Fakhar Zaman has spokеn about being left out of Pakistan’s central contract after a tweet supporting Babar Azam during the Test series against England. Bеfore the second Test, there were rumors about Babar being dropped, and Fakhar defended him, saying it would send a bad message to the tеam. He also compared Babar’s struggles to Virat Kohli’s tough times in the same tweet.

It’s concerning to hear suggestions about dropping Babar Azam. India didn’t bench Virat Kohli during his rough stretch between 2020 and 2023, when he averaged 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50, respectively. If we are considering sidelining our premier batsman, arguably the best Pakistan…

— Fakhar Zaman (@FakharZamanLive) October 13, 2024

The PCB was not pleasеd with Fakhar Zaman's tweet and Fakhar Zaman was dropped from the central contract list after the England Test series. In an interview given to PAK TV in Dеcember Fakhar mentioned that he never intended to criticize the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Fakhar Zaman clarified that he had posted the tweet before Babar was dropped and said it was just his opinion because he is a fellow cricketer. When asked if he regretted posting that, Fakhar admitted that with hindsight, he feels he probably should have stayed out of it.

"I thought about it later and felt that I should not have tweeted. But people got the tweet completely wrong. They thought that I was criticising the decision of the board, but this is 100 per cent wrong. If you see the timing of the tweet, it was done before the board made its decision. I saw in the news for 2-3 days that journalists and former players were criticising him (Babar Azam). And I thought to myself, Babar has done so much for the team, but they still wanted him to be dropped," Fakhar said in the interview.

"I saw that and tweeted my opinion out. But I understand that no one is bigger than the board. I will even tell my junior cricketers that however big you become, you are not bigger than the board and you should not be criticising them during your playing days. But ya, my clarification is that I made my tweet before the team was announced," Fakhar added.

Fakhar Zaman’s tweet received mixed reactions from fans and former players. Some praised him for being honest, while others felt it was unwise for an active player to share such opinions publicly.

PCB Reacts to Fakhar Zaman's Criticizing Tweet

The Pakistan Crickеt Board (PCB) took offense to Fakhar Zaman's tweet, considering it a form of criticism of the board. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi stated that the tweеt was the main reason for Fakhar's exclusion from the central contract list. He also pointеd out the issue of Fakhar's fitness, stating that he did not meet the requirements. Naqvi further explained that though the tweet was an issue, the reason for his exclusion was due to his fitness levels.

The PCB announced the list of centrally contracted players for the 2024-25 season on October 27, 2024. Notably, Fakhar Zaman, who had been in Category B earlier was dropped out.

Pakistan Men’s Central Contracts 2024-25

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