Fakhar Zaman denies retirement rumors

Pakistan’s opening batter Fakhar Zaman has dismissed recent reports about his retirement, calling them "baseless."  

Fakhar made his comeback to the national team in the recent home tri-nation ODI series against New Zealand and South Africa. However, he faced another injury setback during Pakistan’s ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 match against New Zealand in Karachi on February 19. While fielding, he fell awkwardly in the first over and had to leave the ground for medical evaluation.  

Although he briefly returned to the field, he had to leave again, raising concerns about his fitness. Later scans confirmed an oblique tear, which forced him to withdraw from the tournament. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) then announced that Imam-ul-Haq would replace him.  

Soon after his exit from the tournament, rumors started spreading that Fakhar was considering retirement. However, he has now made it clear that he has no such plans.  

“There is no truth in the retirement news,” Fakhar said. “I will be fully fit and join the team soon.”  

Fakhar is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore and remains focused on making a strong comeback.  

Since making his international debut in 2017, Fakhar has played three Test matches, 86 ODIs, and 92 T20Is for Pakistan. He has scored a total of 5,691 runs across formats, including 11 centuries and 30 half-centuries.