Pakistan cricket and controversy go hand in hand. In the midst of the national team’s dismal World Cup 2023 campaign, skipper Babar Azam’s alleged WhatsApp chats surfaced in the media on Sunday (October 29).
The conversation between Babar and PCB’s Chief Operating Officer Salman Naseer was leaked on Pakistan’s leading news channel ARY News, much to the shock of the fans and former cricketers alike.
Amid the backlash, news anchor Waseem Badami claimed that PCB chief Zaka Ashraf shared the screenshot of Babar's chat and told them to show it on live TV.
After this revelation, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has come down heavily on Ashraf, asking the PCB chairman to mind his own business.
"Zaka Ashraf is not a club chairman. He is the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board. He should observe many things. I am surprised that you are calling up owners of media houses that 'he is saying so and so about me." You are the chairman. You do your job and deliver. People are saying things about you because you have given them the opportunity to do so," Afridi said while speaking on Samaa TV.
"You focus on your work. The team is playing World Cup and you are giving statement after statements. Sometimes you are saying something about Babar, sometimes about someone else. First strengthen your position. Work on what we as cricketers expect from you. Leave aside what people are saying against you. You are giving the opportunity yourself. Mind your own business," he added.
It seems that all is not well between the Pakistan captain Babar Azam and PCB chief Zaka Ashraf. After a string of losses in the ongoing World Cup, PCB released a statement, hinting that Babar might lose his captaincy if the team fails to do well in the marquee event.
"Addressing the media scrutiny directed at captain Babar Azam and the team management, the board's stance, echoing that of former cricketers, is that successes and defeats are part of the game. Captain Babar Azam and Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq were given freedom and support in forming the squad for the ICC World Cup 2023," the statement read.
"Looking ahead, the board will make decisions in the best interest of Pakistan cricket based on the team's performances in the World Cup. At present, the PCB encourages fans, former players and stakeholders to rally behind the team as they strive to make a triumphant comeback in the mega-event."
