Lahore (Pakistan News Online) Pakistan cricket team opener Fakhar Zaman has addressed the controversy sparked by his tweet in support of star batsman Babar Azam.
In a recently surfaced interview clip, Fakhar spoke openly about Babar and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). When asked whether he regretted his tweet and thought there could have been a better approach, Fakhar admitted and said “Later, I did feel that it would have been better not to tweet in support of Babar Azam. People misunderstood it as criticism of the board’s decisions, which is 100% wrong. I posted the tweet before the team announcement and had no idea about what was happening. Think about it—I’m a cricketer and, in a way, an employee of the PCB. I still have to play cricket.”
Fakhar clarified that he had explained to the board that his tweet was made before the squad announcement and emphasized he would never have tweeted such a thing after the announcement.
He further advised other players, stating: “I would tell fellow cricketers that you can never be above the board. As long as you’re playing, you cannot criticize the board’s decisions.”
Background
The controversy erupted after Fakhar Zaman questioned PCB’s decision to drop Babar Azam from the squad for the England series in a post on X (formerly Twitter). This led to the board issuing him a show-cause notice, followed by Fakhar losing his central contract.
In his now-infamous tweet, Fakhar stated:
“If we’re even considering sidelining our premier batsman, undoubtedly the best produced by Pakistan, this could send a deeply negative message throughout the team.”
He also compared the situation to India, highlighting how the Indian management supported Virat Kohli during his rough patch.
Later, in response to the PCB’s notice, Fakhar expressed regret and issued an apology for his actions, acknowledging his mistake in a conciliatory tone.