PCB Hands Fakhar Zaman Show-Cause Notice for Social Media Support to Babar Azam
PCB issues Fakhar Zaman In the drama that has been going on in Pakistan cricket, it is now the turn of Fakhar Zaman after he put up a post on social media in support of Babar Azam. He’s been issued a show cause notice by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) following the removal of Babar’s inclusion for the second and third Tests against Australia that had sparked outrage from a teammate over a social media post PCB issues Fakhar Zaman.
Also read: Babar Azam mortality:There’s a certain sadness about Babar Azam mortality
The Context of the Controversy
Fakhar Zaman took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his concerns over Babar’s exclusion, which he thought “concerning”. In his post, he had written that siding “arguably the best batter Pakistan has ever produced” could send “a very negative message across the board.” He urged the PCB to “protect” players instead of “trying to undermine” them. This sparked attention quickly, mainly because it happened before the PCB came out with the final squad.
But, PCB was not pleased with Fakhar’s comments. They issued a show-cause notice to him, stating that his public remarks may bring the game in Pakistan into disrepute. The board further stated that being centrally contracted, Fakhar has the responsibility to talk out his grievances in person rather than making it public on any platform PCB issues Fakhar Zaman.
Also read: pak vs Eng: Pakistan Drops Shaheen, Naseem, and Babar for Next Two Tests
Agonies for Fakhar Zaman
On the bright side, it turned out to be an important moment for Fakhar Zaman by setting him up for possibly disciplinary action. In this case, the result will come under the response of Fakhar toward the notice and if he is ready to accept the charges against him. So far, Fakhar hasn’t responded to the notice publically, and his post is still live on X.
Again, PCB’s response reveals the sensitive nature of the relation between players and professional cricket administration in Pakistan. The show-cause notice from PCB seems to be an attempt to once more remind the board and players alike that they need to put on one face at least, especially at trying times. What is being seen is a thin line between what players would want to say against what the board has to put up with.
Bigger Picture-Babar Azam’s Omission
Babar Azam’s exclusion from the team has raised many eyebrows, particularly when he is one of Pakistan’s top batsmen. The PCB described his exclusion as a much-needed break before the series in Australia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, while people question the timing and rationale behind it. Babar himself has been struggling with his form for more than two years in Test cricket; he hadn’t demanded a break and apparently was available to play.
This does add more depth to the situation, as Pakistan is actually behind 1-0 in the Test series, and Babar’s experience and expertise are going to be at a premium in this situation. Doing this undermines the team by removing such talent during a crucial phase, which gives mixed signals on the direction and leadership of the team, argue critics.
Conclusion
This storm over Fakhar Zaman’s support for Babar Azam encapsulates the problems of the PCB in a situation where they must deal with player powerplay and public reaction. The issue at the same time raises many questions, as it remains to be seen how a cricketer can present his sentiments and stay indoors without violating the norms.
This is going to witness a play-out, as spectators and analysts watch this closely from Fakhar Zaman to PCB. Cricketing fraternity waits to see how this gets resolved and how it serves as a pointer to future days of player-management interaction in the country. With series just around the corner, the need for unity and focus has never been this crucial.