The dismal performance of the Pakistani cricket team in the ongoing Cricket World Cup has snowballed into an alleged discord between players and board members. However, the reports of the rift gained strength on Monday (30th October), when the purported private chat of Babar Azam was made public by a Pakistani news channel. His WhatsApp chats with PCB COO Salman Naseer were reportedly leaked online by the board president Zaka Ashraf on a live TV show.
PCB Statement on Babar Azam's WhatsApp Chats:#BabarAzam | #CWC23 | #DattKePakistani pic.twitter.com/Ttu0xEpY6N
— Pakistan Kirket (@Shekhar499) October 30, 2023
Subsequently, netizens and Pakistani journalists began circulating a fake release from the PCB on social media which made bold claims against Babar Azam, Zaka Ashraf, and Salman Naseer.
The viral release attributed to PCB claimed that “all WhatsApp communications between Babar Azam and PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf or Mr. Salman has been suspended since the day Babar tried to contact their married daughters viz. Fiza Ashraf and Humaima Naseer.”
It added, “PCB doesn’t associate itself with the media channel ARY NEWS and its journalists” after the purported WhatsApp chats were leaked on air by sports presenter Waseem Badami from ARY News.
However, the PCB release circulating on social media is obviously a fake one as Captain Babar Azam and CEO Salman Naseer have clearly communicated during the ongoing World Cup, as evidenced by the chats leaked on the news channel.
Conspicuously, the rumours stem from the fact that according to Pakistani media reports, PCB chief Ashraf has been ignoring Babar’s phone calls. Ex-Pakistan captain Rashid Latif on national TV alleged that PCB head Zaka Ashraf had been avoiding Babar Azam’s calls or messages.
When Latif’s remarks started making headlines, a local Pakistani TV channel contacted Zaka Ashraf to clarify his position on the matter. Sharing light on the matter, Zaka said, “He [Latif] says that I don’t pick up his [Babar’s] call.
Putting all rumours to rest, the PCB official clarified that the 29-year-old Pakistani skipper did not reach out to him directly. The PCB chief added, “He’s never given me a call. The chief operating officer (COO) or the director of international cricket is expected to speak with the captain of the team.”
Afterwards, PCB’s COO Salman Naseer shared the WhatsApp chat between the two (him and Babar) on live TV.
To substantiate his claim, Salman Naseer, on behalf of Zaka, during a live chat, allowed the interviewer to display their WhatsApp conversation.
They leaked Babar Azam’s private WhatsApp chats?
— Sushant Mehta (@SushantNMehta) October 29, 2023
Pakistani players ko milta kya hai ko unse itni expectations rakhte ho? This is disgusting, he still has three matches to play in this World Cup pic.twitter.com/8eHSG2oygT
In the leaked chat, Naseer asked Babar, “Babar, there have been reports on TV and social media claiming that you tried contacting the Chairman, and he hasn’t responded. Did you recently attempt to reach out to him?’ To this, Babar replied, ‘Hello Salman bhai, I haven’t tried calling sir.”
My humble thoughts on Babar Azam – Zaka Ashraf issue 🙏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/g7RwamSP54
— Waseem Badami (@WaseemBadami) October 29, 2023
Regarding the source and authenticity of these purported chats, sports presenter Waseem Badami asserted that it was wrong on their part to air private chats of two individuals but they got carried away when Zaka himself pursued them to air the chats.
