Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam. PHoto- X
Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam. PHoto- X

Fakhar Zaman, Pakistan opener, has clarified whether he regrets tweeting in support of Babar Azam after he was dropped from England Test cricket. This has resulted in Fakhar Zaman being dropped from the Pakistan team for good.

In his defense, Fakhar Zaman maintained that he made the tweet before the selection announcement and had no intention of criticizing the Pakistan Cricket Board’s choice. The opener also stated that he respects the board’s decisions and would not have done so if the squad had been announced.

Babar Azam has been struggling with his form in recent months, which led up to this incident. During this difficult period, there were calls to drop him from the national team, which Fakhar did not like, and chose to write a message in support of the ace right-hander.

“I shouldn’t have done it”- Fakhar Zaman in tweeting for Babar Azam

Fakhar Zaman recently discussed the matter in an interview. He maintained that he had no intention of criticizing the PCB, and the public had completely misinterpreted his words.

Zaman stated that he posted the tweet after witnessing the experts severely insulting Babar Azam and seeking his removal from the squad.

“It definitely came into my mind that I shouldn’t have done it. Basically, there have been thoughts on people’s mind that I have criticized the board’s (PCB) decision. But this is entirely wrong. I tweeted before the team announcement. I have told everyone that the tweet has been done before the announcement of the team,” Zaman said in an interview to a journalist.

“I was watching news from the last 2-3 days prior to the tweet and all the journalists and ex-players were saying that he (Babar Azam) should be dropped. He has done so many services (to Pakistan cricket) and saying that he must be dropped. It was coming on my mind again and again which prompted me do to that tweet,” he explained.

Fakhar Zaman advises youngsters not to criticize PCB

Further clarifying the situation, Fakhar Zaman stated that he sent the tweet before the squad announcement and would not have done so subsequently because he is a centrally contracted player.

Fakhar even stated that he would counsel young players not to criticize the board’s decision until they are active players, and claims to have communicated his ideas to board officials.

“But I tweeted it before the (squad) announcement. I wouldn’t have done it after the announcement as I am a cricketer myself and also centrally contracted player of the PCB. I have to play cricket in the future as well. I will tell the junior players of the upcoming generation that you cannot criticize the board’s decision until you are playing even if you have become a big player. So, this is totally wrong that I have criticized the board’s decision,” he claimed.

“I have even told the board officials that the team has been announced later and I had already tweeted it earlier. If the team had been announced, I wouldn’t have done that,” the opener concluded.

Fakhar Zaman has struggled to get back into the Pakistan team since then. He missed the Australia white-ball tour and was not considered for the South Africa tour as well. Fakhar Zaman is currently playing in the Champions T20 Cup, which is a domestic tournament in Pakistan.

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