Mon Dec 09 18:09:41 UTC 2024: ## Former Pacer Slams Fakhar Zaman’s Omission from Pakistan ODI Squad
**KARACHI, PAKISTAN –** Former Pakistan fast bowler Sikandar Bakht has criticized the national selectors’ decision to drop Fakhar Zaman from the ODI squad, calling him Pakistan’s only true match-winner in the format. Zaman’s exclusion follows his public criticism of Babar Azam’s removal from the Test team during the recent England series, a move reportedly linked to his omission from the central contract and subsequent dropping from the squads for the Australia and Zimbabwe series.
Despite Pakistan winning the ODI series against both Australia (2-1) and Zimbabwe (2-1), Bakht maintains that Zaman’s absence is a significant blow. Pakistan’s upcoming tour of South Africa includes three ODIs, with the squad announced notably excluding Zaman. The squad lists Mohammad Rizwan as captain for both the ODI and T20I series.
The announced squads for the South Africa tour show a clear absence of Fakhar Zaman, sparking further debate about the selectors’ strategy. While Pakistan’s recent ODI success might appear to contradict Bakht’s assessment, his strong opinion highlights the ongoing discussion surrounding team selection and player performance within the Pakistan cricket team.
First Piper 