Fakhar Zaman has publicly criticized the exclusion of Babar Azam from the squad for the second Test against England. By speaking in support of Babar, Fakhar has now found himself in the crosshairs of the PCB, having received a show-cause notice from the organization.

In addition to Babar, two pacers, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, as well as the ill leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed, have also been left out of the squad for the last two matches against England.

On social media, Fakhar expressed his support for Babar, stating, "It is concerning that Babar Azam is being dropped. India did not bench Virat Kohli during his poor form from 2020 to 2023, when Kohli's averages were 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50, respectively."

He further added, "If we bench our main batsman, who is arguably Pakistan's best batsman, it sends a deep negative message within the team. We still have time to avoid hitting the panic button. We need to focus on protecting our key players rather than undermining them."

The PCB has not tolerated Fakhar's remarks and has asked him to respond to the show-cause notice within seven days.