The Pakistan team suffered an embarrassing exit from the T20 World Cup 2024 after they lost to the USA and India in Group A. They had an outside chance to qualify but the Ireland v USA match got washed out in Florida and Pakistan was knocked out of the tournament.
While most team members returned home, Captain Babar Azam and five more players decided to stay in the USA with their families and take a vacation. Pakistan does not have any international assignments till August.
Meanwhile, former Pakistan keeper-batter Atiq-uz-Zaman has taken up the point of players bringing wives and families on foreign tours and not focusing on cricket.
He went on a rant in a video on social media and said that the players' activities during the T20 World Cup 2024 made him feel like they were on holiday, not on official cricketing duty.
"You are creating such a drama. During our time, there used to be a coach and with him a manager -- the team was run like that. Ab aapke 17 log hain officals mein aur 17 players hain, suna hai ke aapne 60 kamre book karvaye hue they (you have 17 officials and 17 players; it's being said you booked 60 rooms). That's a joke! Have you gone there to play cricket or to holiday? ," said Atiq in the video.
Atiq also slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board, claiming that families should not be allowed at such large games since players spend a lot of time strolling about with their wives, as if they've come on vacation.
"Why do you allow families in big events?...Begum, jaan nahi chhodti; aapne aadat bana di hai, begum ko saath le ke ghoomne ki aadat hai (you have made it a habit to travel with wife on tours). They go out in the evening and focus shifts from cricket. They focus on family, kids, wife...Takeaways pe khana kha rahe hote hain...aur wahan pe unki movieyan chal rahi hoti hain (they are eating at takeaway joints and are being captured on videos there)," said Atiq, who played one Test and three ODIs for the Pakistan senior team.
"Such a culture has been created in Pakistan cricket that nobody knows what is discipline...You have gone to play such a big event, where is your focus?...Can't you leave everything else and focus on cricket alone for two weeks? You are being paid crores annually," he concluded.
Here is the video:
