Pakistan opening batter Fakhar Zaman, who was recently suspended from two Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 games after being found guilty of ball tampering, finally addressed the T20I retirement chatter, saying he has no such plans. However, the left-handed batter did admit he wanted to bid adieu to the format after the T20 World Cup 2026, but he has changed his mind and won’t walk into the sunset anytime soon.
The 35-year-old has been Pakistan’s standout performer in the shortest format, having played 120 matches for the Green Shirts, scoring 2494 runs at a strike rate of 132.51, including 14 fifties. He warmed the bench for the majority of the T20 World Cup, but was brought into the lineup for the must-win Super 8s tie against Sri Lanka.
Pakistan needed to win the match by at least 65 runs to qualify for the semi-finals, but it didn’t happen. However, Fakhar impressed with the bat, scoring 84 runs off 42 balls with the help of 9 fours and 4 sixes. The Salman Ali Agha-led side crashed out of the tournament in the Super 8s, marking the fourth ICC event in a row where Pakistan failed to qualify for the semis.
“After the World Cup, I had decided to retire from T20 cricket. However, I no longer intend to retire and want to finish my T20 career on a high note,” Geo News quoted Fakhar as saying.
Zaman has also been a standout player for the Lahore Qalandars in the PSL, scoring 3,018 runs in 99 matches at a strike rate of 141.82, including 24 fifties and 2 centuries.
Fakhar’s ban
The senior Pakistan batter was recently found guilty of ball tampering in the fixture against Karachi Kings. He was accused of breaching Level 3 of the Code of Conduct; however, he contested the decision, only to lose the appeal.
“Fakhar Zaman appealed the decision of the Match Referee to suspend him for two HBL PSL matches for breaching Article 2.14 of the applicable Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel during the Lahore Qalandars v Karachi Kings match on Sunday, 29 March at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore,” the PCB said in an official statement.
“The appeal was heard today by the PSL Technical Committee comprising Professor Javed Malik, Dr Mumraiz Naqshband, and Mr Syed Ali Naqi. Pursuant to conducting a de novo inquiry, reviewing all evidence, and hearing submissions from relevant individuals, the Committee has dismissed the appeal and upheld the two-match ban imposed by Match Referee Roshan Mahanama,” the statement added.
