Fakhar Zaman inconsolable, Shaheen Afridi worried as Pakistan batter breaks down in heartbreaking dressing-room scenes

Pakistan’s Champions Trophy 2025 campaign has gone from bad to worse after their opening-game defeat to New Zealand was compounded by an injury setback. Fakhar Zaman, one of their most important batters, suffered an injury early in the match and has been ruled out of the remainder of the tournament. Fakhar Zaman was in tears after being dismissed against NZ(ICC)

His heartbreaking reaction after getting dismissed during the match against New Zealand, shared on Thursday, has since gone viral, leaving fans devastated.

Fakhar picked up an injury on just the second ball of the match, forcing him off the field for most of New Zealand’s innings. He was unable to open the batting and instead walked in at No. 3 following Mohammad Rizwan’s dismissal.

Despite evident discomfort, Fakhar battled through the pain, trying to hold the innings together. However, his struggles were apparent—he could barely rotate the strike, eventually falling for 24 off 41 balls.

The moment he was dismissed, Fakhar’s emotions got the better of him. As he trudged off the field, he broke down in tears, unable to control his disappointment. Shaheen Afridi attempted to console him, but the left-hander was inconsolable, knowing this could have been a defining tournament for him.

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The ICC shared the clip of his emotional exit on social media, and it has since gone viral, sparking an outpouring of sympathy from fans worldwide.

Imam-ul-Haq named as Fakhar’s replacement

Following medical assessments, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed Fakhar’s injury would prevent him from taking any further part in the tournament. Left-handed batter Imam-ul-Haq has been drafted into the squad as his replacement.

Fakhar’s return to the national setup had already been a dramatic one – he was recalled after being dropped from tours to South Africa and Australia, reportedly due to his vocal support for Babar Azam following his Test squad snub.

Pakistan now faces a must-win clash against India at the Dubai International Stadium. A loss would put their qualification hopes in jeopardy, leaving them dependent on a complex set of results.

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