Fakhar Zaman to be reinstated in PCB central contracts

Pakistani opener Fakhar Zaman is poised to be reinstated into the central contracts and the national white-ball squad after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) opted for a reprimand rather than severe punishment for his breach of conduct.

A PCB source informed PTI that a committee will soon evaluate Fakhar's response to a show-cause notice issued due to a controversial tweet regarding former captain Babar Azam.

Previously, Fakhar was excluded from the 2024-25 central contracts and left out of the recent white-ball series against Australia and Zimbabwe.

However, the source revealed that his reply was apologetic, showing remorse, which has prompted favorable discussions among PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, selectors, and new captain Mohammad Rizwan.

While selectors have advised Fakhar to prioritize his recovery from a knee injury ahead of the white-ball series in South Africa in December, he is expected to be named in the squad for those matches before being added back to the central contracts list.

With the ICC Champions Trophy set to take place in Pakistan early next year, Rizwan and the selectors believe Fakhar remains a valuable asset for the team.

It is anticipated that the committee will accept his reply and clear him for selection, pending a fitness test before the South Africa tour.