Babar’s alleged private chats with PCB leaks; Waqar fumes: ‘Khush ho gaye aap?’ | Cricket

Just when you thought the turmoil surrounding Pakistan cricket in the aftermath of a disastrous World Cup campaign could not get worse, an alleged chat between captain Babar Azam and a PCB official has surfaced online sending the entire national into a meltdown. Although the original source is not verified, the chat was aired during one of the talk shows on the channel ‘ARY News’, which captures a conversation between Babar and PCB’s Chief Operating Officer, Salman Naseer.

The entire fiasco began when Pakistan endured a string of defeats – four games in a row – to be pushed on the brink of elimination from the World Cup. Following the disastrous outcome of the matches, rumours that Babar will be sacked as captain started doing the rounds and to add fuel to fire. The PCB then, in an official release, stated that the board will take decisions in the best interest of Pakistan cricket, indirectly hinting at Babar’s impending sacking. This led to a ripple effect, sending shockwaves into the entire Pakistan cricket fraternity.

Amid the tumultuous development, former captain Rashid Latif stirred the put even further when he revealed that players haven’t been paid in five months and that the PCB is not returning Babar’s calls. This acted as air to spark and led to the WhatsApp chat leak, where Naseer is verifying with Babar if he indeed made a phone call to the board.

“Babar, there’s also been this news circulating on TV and social media that you have been calling the chairman and he’s not answering. Have you called him recently,” Salman was seen asking the Pakistan captain, to which the reply was: “Salam Salman bhai! Maine toh sir ko call nahi kara (Greetings Salman! I did not make any such calls to sir)”.

Babar’s recent statement may have quelled the rumours, but the larger question that remains is how, why and under what circumstances did his private conversation with a board official find its way onto a television channel. Reaction to this footage, former Pakistan captain and pacer Waqar Younis was seething in anger, slamming the channel and calling the act pathetic.

“Yeh kya karne ki koshish kar rahe ho aap log (What are you guys trying to prove)? This is pathetic. Khush ho gaye aap log (Are you guys happy now)? Please leave Babar Azam alone. He is an asset to Pakistan cricket,” he posted on X.

Even Azhar Ali, the former Pakistan captain and batter, who was present on this show when the chat was being telecasted in front of the entire world, questioned and condemned this careless behaviour of the channel. “Before forwarding this message, was Babar’s permission taken? And even before playing this up, you should have taken Babar’s approval,” he said.