Pakistan cricket team selector Aaqib Javed has claimed that the duo of Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman were injured during the course of the T20 World Cup 2026 but the selectors weren’t informed about it. The stars are not a part of the Pakistan squad in the ongoing series in Bangladesh where the team is being led by Shaheen Shah Afridi. Javed questioned if the players’ fitness wasn’t taken care of during the T20 WC, adding that the selectors should have been informed about it.
Did Pakistan mishandle fitness of Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman?
Addressing a press conference with other selectors including Mishabh-u-Haq, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Asad Shafique, Javed claimed that Azam had been examined by the doctor after his return from the T20 World Cup 2026 which revealed that he had been injured and hence couldn’t take part in the series against Bangladesh. He added that the selectors have asked the board to conduct an inquiry as Fakhar is also injured. Javed questioned how the injuries of the players could be brought to the notice of the selectors only after the tournament and wondered how they could be in the squad if they weren’t fully fit.
“Concerning Babar Azam’s injury, when he came back from there (the T20 World Cup), our doctor also examined him. The injury he has is not allowing him to play this series. Fakhar is also injured – on this, we have also requested the cricket board for an inquiry. How can it be that Fakhar is also unfit, that only after the World Cup is over, these two players’ injuries have come to us? During the World Cup, when they were playing, was their fitness not being taken care of? Were they in the squad without being fully fit? We are selectors; we should know these things,” Javed said.
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