Mumbai, April 8: Pakistani cricketer Fakhar Zaman has dismissed reports suggesting he plans to retire from T20 international cricket. This comes as he faces a two-match ban in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) due to allegations of ball tampering.
Fakhar was suspended following a match on March 29 between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings. He had claimed the accusations were entirely false in front of match referee Roshan Mahanama, who ultimately rejected his defense. Consequently, a three-member committee from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) upheld the ban after a hearing.
Recently, social media buzzed with claims that Fakhar had sent his family to the USA and was considering retirement. He has also been struggling with fitness issues, particularly hormonal problems, which have led to recurring injuries.
However, close sources to the cricketer informed ‘Telecom Asia Sport’ that Fakhar is not retiring and has communicated this to the PCB and the selection committee.
In the T20 World Cup, Fakhar played only two matches, scoring 25 and 84 runs, showcasing aggressive play without visible fitness issues. Nevertheless, he withdrew from the ODI team for the Bangladesh tour due to fitness concerns, which fueled speculation about his retirement from T20 internationals to focus on the 50-over format.
Pakistan will not play any T20 matches until October, when they will host Sri Lanka. Their next ODI series is scheduled against Australia at home in May-June.
Sources revealed to TelecomAsia.net that Fakhar is fully prepared to participate in the 2028 T20 World Cup and is actively working on his fitness. Additionally, he aims to represent his country in the Los Angeles Olympics, as there is a possibility that Pakistan will qualify alongside India.
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