NEW DELHI: Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir has voiced his disappointment over the exclusion of Fakhar Zaman from Pakistan’s white-ball squads for the upcoming series against Australia and Zimbabwe.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Amir said, “I am surprised that Fakhar Zaman is not in the team. He is the only impact player we have in white-ball cricket.”
Zaman’s absence from the squads has sparked widespread backlash, with fans and experts questioning the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision.
Zaman, a key player in Pakistan’s ODI and T20I setup, has been a consistent performer, making his exclusion from these crucial tours a contentious move.
In a press conference, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi addressed the issue, attributing the decision to both fitness concerns and Zaman’s recent controversial social media activity.
“There is the tweet issue, yes, but the bigger concern is his fitness,” Naqvi explained. “He failed the fitness test, and the show-cause notice we issued to him is still unresolved. While he spoke well during the connection camp and we appreciate that, players must understand that criticizing selection decisions publicly will not be tolerated.”
Zaman had recently drawn the PCB’s ire by making a social media post criticizing the decision to drop former captain Babar Azam from the Test squad, comparing it to India’s support for Virat Kohli during his poor form.
Following this, the PCB issued Zaman a show-cause notice, which remains unresolved, further complicating his chances for selection.
Meanwhile, the PCB announced new central contracts, with Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan retaining top-tier status and Shaheen Afridi demoted to Category B. However, Zaman’s omission from the Australia and Zimbabwe squads has overshadowed these announcements, triggering outrage on social media.
