Pakistan Cricket is never short of drama and controversy. The press conference from the Pakistan selectors has triggered a massive debate in the country as Aaqib Javed claimed that Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman were carrying injuries during the T20 World Cup. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to conduct an inquiry, as Javed requested the board to investigate the matter and why the issue only came to light after the competition.
Aaqib Javed made these allegations in the presence of other selectors - Asad Shafiq, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Misbah-ul-Haq in the press conference. "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 and we only found out after the World Cup ended?" Aaqib said.
"When you go to a World Cup, whatever health or injury issues there are, your head coach and physio should keep everyone updated. As selectors, we should know these things," he added.
Babar Azam ruled out of Bangladesh series due to injury
During the press conference, Aaqib Javed revealed that Babar Azam was injured and hence, wasn't picked in the team for the ODI series against Bangladesh. Moreover, he also stated that the selectors were unaware of Babar's injury too while also questioning if Babar and Fakhar would've played had Pakistan qualified for the semifinal.
Notably, Fakhar didn't play the first few matches of the T20 World Cup and was later included in the line-up and made to bat at number five before promoting him to open the innings for the must-win clash against Sri Lanka. Babar Azam was dropped from the XI for that game as Pakistan had to win by a certain margin to make it to the semis.
"Babar Azam is facing an injury, which is why he wasn't included against Bangladesh. He also wanted to play the National T20 Cup, but his health condition didn't allow him. Whether it was visible to you or to me is not important. But if a player gets injured in practice or a match, how it happens and when it happens should be known.
"Today the situation is that Babar Azam and Fakhar are not fit to play. If we had made the semifinal (of T20 World Cup), would they have suddenly become fit? That is the question," Aaqib Javed added further.
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