Former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has recently opened up about the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision to drop explosive opening batter Fakhar Zaman.
The Pakistan men’s selection committee, on 4 December, announced the squads for the ongoing South Africa tour. However, Fakhar was once again ignored after being left out of the central contracts as well as the recent tours of Australia and Zimbabwe.
Akhtar, while speaking on a local news channel, stated that Fakhar is a key player in white-ball cricket and he should be brought back into the line-up.
“He [Fakhar Zaman] is a good, mature, and committed player, but you’ve unnecessarily benched him due to ego battles,” said Shoaib. “Even if you don’t play him now, you will need him sooner or later — if not today, then tomorrow.”
However, he also advised Fakhar to focus on his on-field performances as well as fitness rather than public giving statements.
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“Fakhar should understand that he needs to let his bat speak. Avoid unnecessary statements and prove yourself with consistent performances,” he added.
Shoaib Akhtar attributed Fakhar’s exclusion to ‘ego battles,’ but Pakistan’s white-ball captain, Mohammad Rizwan, previously stated that there was no ‘personal bias’ influencing the decision.
“I think the whole of Pakistan knows Fakhar Zaman, and there’s nothing personal about him that makes anyone feel like he’s being treated unfairly,” said Rizwan in a video released by the PCB.
“From the conversations we’ve had among ourselves, everyone is hopeful about him because he is something different for Pakistan – he’s a character and a game-changer.”
It is important to note that Fakhar last played for Pakistan during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2024 in June.
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