PCB set to drop Fakhar Zaman from ODI Squad vs Australia following his support towards Babar Azam - Report

Fakhar Zaman: Pakistan's explosive batsman Fakhar Zaman continues to get scrutinised and his recent-actions could potentially lead to him getting dropped from Pakistan's One Day International squad for the upcoming limited-overs tour of Australia.

Earlier this month, the Southpaw wrote a supportive tweet for Babar Azam on his X handle after the former Pakistani skipper was dropped from the Playing XI for the 2nd Test-Match versus England.

In what proved to be a viral-tweet, Zaman criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and questioned the decision-making of the Cricket Governing Body. However, the PCB later sent the 34-year-old a show-cause notice to clarify his actions, indicating that the board was not pleased with his public criticism.

More issues for Fakhar Zaman prior to the Australia tour

In addition to Fakhar Zaman's issues with the PCB over the freshly issued show-cause notice, the fiery Pakistani batsman also appears to be dealing with knee related issues. The 34-year-old recently wasn't able to pass his fitness-test upon returning from the recently concluded 2024 season of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

According to a news report of Cricket Pakistan, the left handed batter was asked to complete a two-kilometre run in eight minutes but he was unable to finish the task.

While multiple news reports suggest that Zaman is dealing with his knee-related problems, he recently participated in Pakistan Television Team's Cup Grade - l (one-day) match, thus putting further strain on his knee and increasing the risk of damage.

Fakhar Zaman apparently made some direct comments on PCB's stringent new rules of issuing No Objection Certificates (NOC) to players for participation in international T20 leagues during a connection camp not too long ago.

While supporters and Cricket Experts consider the 34-year-old as a potential replacement of Babar as the skipper of Pakistan in the limited-overs formats, as of now, even the spot of Zaman in the white-ball squads of the Green Shirts is not a guarantee and he might end up getting dropped for the upcoming Australian tour.

The Shaheens will be travelling to Australia in November of this year to participate in a three match One-Day International Series and a three-match T20 International series as well.

Also Read: ICC Men?s Test Team Rankings Latest Updated After IND vs NZ 1st Test

For more information, visit the official website of Pakistan Cricket and ICC