Pakistan’s cricketing community has been abuzz with a growing controversy over leaked WhatsApp messages involving Pakistan’s cricket captain, Babar Azam.
The controversy was ignited when former wicketkeeper of Pakistan, Rashid Latif, claimed that the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) management committee, Zaka Ashraf, had been neglecting Azam’s attempts to contact him through calls and text messages.
In response to Latif’s claims, Ashraf vehemently denied any direct contact with Azam. However, Ashraf’s denial was accompanied by a controversial move, as he went to great lengths to substantiate his claim by sharing Azam’s personal WhatsApp message during a live TV program.
This revelation featured a conversation between Babar and PCB’s Chief Operating Officer, Salman Naseer.
Amidst this controversy, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi expressed his strong disapproval while talking on a local sports channel, calling the act as “disgraceful” violation of trust and ethics.
“Sorry to say, but this is a disgraceful act. You don’t do that. You don’t defame your own country. You don’t defame your own players. How can you leak someone’s private messages? That too of our captain, Babar Azam?” Afridi questioned.
Afridi also made reference to Waseem Badami, a renowned Pakistani television host, who claimed that the PCB chief asked him to leak the private messages. Afridi’s condemnation extended to the PCB chief should these allegations be proven true.
“Waseem Badami is saying that the chairman asked him to leak the conversation? What kind of act is this? Even if the chairman has committed this act, then I am sorry to say, but it’s extremely disgraceful,” he further added. Afridi later posted on his social media platform that the nation deserves better both on and off field.
