Pakistani Cricketer Fakhar Zaman Faces Removal for Public Discord

Prominent cricketer Fakhar Zaman has been facing criticism amidst tensions with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Shoaib Akhtar, former Pakistani bowler, expressed disappointment with Fakhar's prolonged exclusion from the national team, linking it to 'ego battles' within the PCB. Fakhar has been absent from the team since the T20 World Cup in June 2022.

Akhtar emphasizes that Fakhar's talent is critical to Pakistan's white-ball cricket plans. He recommends that Fakhar focus on improving his performances and enhancing his fitness to compensate for his vocal declarations. Fakhar's exclusion from the South Africa tour was attributed to fitness issues, but he claims to be in good health and invokes successful performances in the 2017 Champions Trophy as an example of his capabilities. The tensions in question stem from Fakhar's case in which the PCB cited injury as the cause for his exclusion; however, Fakhar disputed this, suggesting that he is ready to play.

Akhtar urges Fakhar to use his bat to speak instead of his mouth, yet the call for an end to the disputes within the PCB remains ongoing. This indicates a growing rift between Fakhar and the PCB, with Shoaib suggesting that Fakhar's public declarations could be contributing to this discord. The dispute brings attention to the performances that have missed the attention of selectors, and potentially jeopardizes Fakhar's participation in future international competitions. Rizwan, Pakistan's captain, refutes the notion of personal bias in selecting Fakhar, promoting that Fakhar is an important asset to Pakistan cricket.

Tensions surrounding Fakhar Zaman and the Pakistan Cricket Board continue to escalate, these tensions pose serious challenges for the national cricket team with Fiji facing series against South Africa. If Fakhar fails to heed Akhtar's advice on focusing on his batting in order to improve his performance, it is possible that he may continue facing the doubts of the selectors on his participation in the team.