Senior Pakistan batsmen Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman may not have been fully fit when they were selected in the T20 World Cup squad, according to a source close to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The issue was first flagged by senior selector Aaqib Javed during a media conference last week where he asked the PCB to investigate the matter.
Addressing the media alongside Misbah-ul-Haq, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Asad Shafiq, all members of the men’s selection committee, Javed revealed that both Babar and Fakhar had injuries that the selectors only came to know about after the tournament.
Read the full article
The source said the concerns were raised by Dr Javed Mughal, a British sports physiotherapy and medicine expert who joined the PCB’s medical panel as director of sports exercise and medicine in January after assessing both players after the World Cup.
Also Read: Babar Azam left out of Bangladesh ODIs: Mike Hesson explains the controversial call
The matter reportedly came to light when Babar pulled out of the T20 National Cup after returning from the tournament, citing hamstring irritation, with Fakhar also known to be dealing with similar fitness issues.
“When Babar was examined, it turned out that his injury was more serious than initially diagnosed, while Fakhar has been dealing with the same problem for months,” a source was quoted as saying by PTI.
The national selection committee told the PCB’s medical panel that Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman were selected for the T20 World Cup only after they were cleared by team physio Cliff Deacon, who has faced allegations in the past of allowing players with minor injuries to take the field.
WHEN WILL BABAR, FAKHAR PLAY NEXT?
Babar is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy and is expected to return to fitness in time for the Pakistan Super League, which starts on March 26, where he is expected to lead Peshawar Zalmi.
Meanwhile, Fakhar said he has fully recovered and is available for the T20 National Cup. Both players missed the Bangladesh tour after Pakistan’s T20 World Cup campaign ended without reaching the semi-finals.
T20 World Cup | T20 World Cup Schedule | T20 World Cup Points Table | T20 World Cup Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
– The end
Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
18 March 2026 21:15 IST
