Fakhar Zaman reveals reason behind his exclusion from national team
'I will try my best to make this Champions Trophy even more memorable,' says Fakhar
LAHORE: Pakistan’s left-handed opener Fakhar Zaman on Friday, has finally addressed the speculations regarding his exclusion from the national men’s team, sharing that he was suffering from an ailment.
Fakhar, while talking to former cricketer Salman Butt in the latest episode of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Podcast, dismissed the notion that the opener was sidelined from the team due to his tweet in support of Babar Azam.
He further revealed that the illness was the only reason behind his time away from the team.
"Anyone can fall sick. I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, which led to a weight loss of 10 kg and weakened my muscles," Fakhar said.
"This was the only reason I was out of the team — there was nothing else. I am fully fit now, but the first four to five matches in domestic cricket were tough, and I felt as if I had forgotten how to play," he added.
The 34-year-old then shared that his health gradually improved with time and assured cricket fans that he is completely fit.
Fakhar, who played a pivotal role in leading Pakistan to their maiden ICC Champions Trophy title in 2017, also shared his plans for the upcoming edition of the eight-team tournament.
The opening batter expressed his dedication to making the upcoming tournament even more memorable for himself and the team.
“I will try my best to make this Champions Trophy even more memorable for myself and the team," he remarked.
He also commented on the prospect of opening the innings for Pakistan with Babar Azam in the upcoming tournament and backed the star batter to ‘make things easier’ for him.
“I believe he will perform well as an opener and make things easier for me,” Fakhar said.
Pakistan squad for tri-nation series, Champions Trophy 2025:
Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Usman Khan (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha (vc), Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
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