Pakistan cricket chiefs face criticism over fitness double standards and captaincy uncertainty

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is facing scrutiny over its handling of player contracts, particularly regarding its treatment of Fakhar Zaman.

The big-hitting batter was excluded from the centrally contracted players list announced on October 27. This decision followed a show-cause notice issued to him for a tweet that criticized the selectors’ controversial choice to drop Babar Azam from the Test squad.

Zaman’s public comments questioning the selectors' decision to drop Babar Azam — a player he labeled as Pakistan's "premier batsman" — sparked the PCB's ire.

His tweet expressed disappointment over the decision and warned of the negative implications it could have for team morale. This incident occurred just before the announcement of the 16-member squad for the second and third Test against England, which notably did not include Babar Azam. In response, the PCB demanded an explanation from Fakhar within a week regarding his remarks.

Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam share details of their match-winning partnership against New Zealand in 2023 ODI World Cup.PCB

During the recent announcement of centrally contracted players for the 2024-25 season, five emerging talents, including Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Irfan Khan and Usman Khan, received contracts for the first time. However, Fakhar Zaman was notably absent from the list. He was also excluded from the ODI and T20I squads announced for upcoming Australia and Zimbabwe tours.

“Fakhar should have been included in the squad for both ODI and T20s against Australia. If Fakhar has fitness issues, he could have recovered from that, but he is a glorious player and he should have been part of the lot which will be fielded in the ODI against Australia,” former cricketer Sadiq Mohammad told Nukta.

Double standards regarding fitness standards

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said that Fakhar's exclusion was not solely due to his tweet but also linked to his failure to meet fitness standards.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi addressing the press conference on October 27 in Lahore.PCB

“His [Fakhar] tweet was certainly an issue, but it wasn’t as significant as his failure in the fitness test. These two factors posed issues for him. The decision on his show-cause notice is still pending, and he needs to pass the fitness test," Naqvi confirmed on Sunday.

Fakhar’s recent history with the PCB has been tumultuous. He openly addressed his grievances regarding his treatment at the hands of PCB officials during the "Connection Camp," where players voiced their concerns.

Allegations included delays in the issuance of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for participating in international T20 leagues, which Fakhar attributed to the PCB's director of international cricket operations, Usman Wahla.

"Fakhar spoke very well at the connection camp, and it was him raising his voice that has led us to reform our international department. I appreciate that. But it's unacceptable for a player to tweet against the selection committee. That is not permitted, and it will never be permitted,” Naqvi said.

Fakhar Zaman speaking at the PCB's connection camp in September, 2024.PCB

Following Fakhar’s comments at the camp, former cricketer Rashid Latif predicted that PCB would target Fakhar’s contract, which has since proven accurate.

“They will go after Fakhar now. They will target his central contract. They can claim his fitness is inadequate and give him a lower contract,” Latif had speculated on his YouTube channel on September 25.

Even if we accept Naqvi's claim that Fakhar's exclusion was mainly due to failing the fitness test, it raises concerns about PCB's consistency in applying fitness standards. For instance, spinner Noman Ali, who performed well in recent Test victories against England, was included in the central contracts despite concerns regarding their fitness.

Noman was previously omitted from the first Test against England after failing a 2km fitness test, but was eventually included for second and third Test. Whereas, Fakhar’s fitness issues led to his exclusion, prompting concerns over potential double standards within the PCB.

Uncertainty around duration of captaincy

Furthermore, Shan Masood, who recently captained the Test team to its first series win since July 2023, remains in Category B. However, the uncertainty surrounding his captaincy status is reflected in the PCB's public announcement that his contract is "subject to captaincy." This ambiguity undermines stability, especially given the speculation around how long he would retain leadership after a series of initial defeats.

Mohammad Rizwan has been appointed as the white-ball captain of the Pakistan cricket team.PCB

While the PCB aims to prioritize fitness and discipline, it must ensure these standards are uniformly applied across the board. The inconsistency between players like Fakhar and Noman raises concerns about potential biases within the selection process.

Moreover, the PCB must provide its captains with a sense of security regarding their positions. The vague terms surrounding Shan Masood’s contract and the lack of clarity on Mohammad Rizwan’s leadership duration as newly-appointed white-call captain further contribute to an environment of uncertainty.

List of centrally contracted players:

Category A (2): Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan

Category B (3): Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Shan Masood

Category C (9): Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, and Shadab Khan

Category D (11): Aamir Jamal, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Hurraira, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, and Usman Khan