Babar Azam reportedly stayed off the field for an hour on Day 2 to protest the behaviour of security staff.
According to media reports, the Pakistan skipper was furious as he was stopped by the security personnel from going out with some other members of the team and their families for dinner on Saturday (December 17) night from the team hotel.
Hence, Babar reportedly stayed off the field for an hour on Sunday (December 18) to protest the behaviour of the security staff.
“Questions will obviously be asked. The reason was not given. Whoever is at fault, chairman Ramiz Raja should look into it. Someone new has been deputed in Karachi but he has to be made aware that they are here to look after the team and its players and not to trouble them. He is the captain of Pakistan team after all. This should have been looked into and I think as a protest, Babar Azam refused to step into the ground. I mean, the Pakistan cricket captain is protesting against his own board for his own security. We need to ensure this doesn’t happen,” Rashid Latif told Boss TV.
The former Pakistan captain also explained the incident at the team hotel.
“An incident took place last night. It has come out in the media that is why I am revealing it, otherwise I wouldn’t have. The players were supposed to go out for dinner with family. The security needs to be made aware of it. The players, including Azhar Ali, Imam Ul Haq and Babar Azam had informed them. But when they reached the lobby and were about to get inside the car, the security told Babar that he can’t go out and the rest cannot. So no one went,” Latif said.
While the Pakistan Cricket Board is silent over the matter, the official version given is that Babar Azam had a severe headache when he came to the ground and, thus, he couldn't take the field for first hour.
Considering the fact that England are touring Pakistan for the first time since 2005, PCB is not willing to take any risk. Therefore, the two teams have been provided President level security for the series.
"It is for their own good and Pakistan cricket," one PCB source said, as quoted by PTI.
(With PTI inputs)