PCB serves Fakhar Zaman show-cause notice over Babar Azam support post

The PCB has taken strong exception to the post, saying that Fakhar has brought the game in Pakistan into disrepute.

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Babar Azam’s exclusion from the Pakistan squad has landed Fakhar Zaman in a conflict with the PCB, which issued him a show-cause notice over a social media post. After news broke of Babar’s omission from the squad for the second and third Test, Fakhar voiced his concerns on X (formerly Twitter) before the PCB’s official announcement.

Fakhar called the decision “concerning,” stating that “sidelining arguably the best batter Pakistan has ever produced” could send a “deeply negative message.” He urged the PCB to “protect” its players rather than “undermine them.”

The PCB has reacted strongly to the post, telling ESPNcricinfo that Fakhar Zaman has been issued a show-cause notice for bringing disrepute to the game in Pakistan. As a centrally contracted player, Fakhar is alleged to have a responsibility to refrain from making such public comments against his employer. The board is reportedly disappointed that Fakhar did not address his concerns privately.

Buzz Observer understands that Fakhar Zaman has yet to respond to the show-cause notice, which was issued only yesterday. The penalty for the alleged code of conduct breach will depend on his response and whether he accepts the charge. As of now, Fakhar has made no further comments, and the post remains live on X.

The PCB has characterized Babar Azam’s exclusion from the squad as a period of rest ahead of upcoming white-ball series in Australia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. However, this reasoning is harder to justify in the context of Pakistan being 1-0 down in the current series and Babar not requesting any rest, having expressed his willingness to play. Babar’s recent form in Test cricket has been under scrutiny, as he has not scored a half-century in his last 18 innings over nearly two years.