After PSL ball-tampering scandal, Fakhar Zaman addresses T20I retirement rumours

Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman has dismissed speculation around his T20I retirement, clarifying that he has no immediate plans to step away from the shortest format despite recent controversy during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 season.

In Short

• Fakhar Zaman has dismissed speculation around his T20I retirement
• Fakhar has been one of Pakistan’s most reliable performers in T20Is
• He is currently serving a two-match PSL suspension for ball-tampering

Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman has put an end to speculation around his T20I future, stating that he has no immediate plans to retire despite the recent controversy during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 season.

The 35-year-old, who is currently serving a two-match suspension in the PSL after being found guilty of ball tampering, admitted that he had considered stepping away from T20 internationals after the T20 World Cup 2026. However, he has since changed his mind.

“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,” Fakhar was quoted as saying by Geo News.

Fakhar has been one of Pakistan’s most reliable performers in T20Is. In 120 matches, he has scored 2,494 runs at a strike rate of 132.51, including 14 fifties. Although he spent most of the T20 World Cup on the sidelines, he made an immediate impact when picked for the must-win Super 8 clash against Sri Lanka.

Chasing a place in the semifinals, Pakistan needed a win by at least 65 runs, a target they ultimately fell short of. Fakhar, though, stood out with an aggressive 84 off 42 balls, striking nine fours and four sixes. The exit marked Pakistan’s fourth successive ICC tournament without a semi-final appearance under captain Salman Ali Agha.

Fakhar has also been a mainstay for Lahore Qalandars in the PSL, scoring 3,018 runs in 99 matches at a strike rate of 141.82, with 24 fifties and two centuries.

His recent suspension came after an incident during a match against Karachi Kings at the Gaddafi Stadium. Fakhar was found guilty of breaching Level 3 of the PSL Code of Conduct related to ball tampering. He challenged the decision, but the appeal was dismissed.

In a statement, the Pakistan Cricket Board said the PSL Technical Committee upheld the two-match ban after reviewing the evidence and hearing all submissions, confirming the sanction imposed by match referee Roshan Mahanama.

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