‘Leave Babar Alone’: Waqar Younis Loses Cool as PAK Captain’s Leaked WhatsApp Chat Aired on Live TV - WATCH

All doesn’t seem well in Pakistan Cricket. The team is on the verge of getting knocked out of the ICC World Cup 2023 after losing four consecutive games, rumours of a rift in the dressing room are still doing rounds and recently, former captain Rashid Latif claimed that PCB chief Zaka Ashraf has stopped responding to calls and messages from Babar Azam.

The controversy took an interesting turn when a private chat between the skipper and PCB COO Salman Naseer got leaked and was aired on the national TV channel, ARY News. Soon the video clip of the debate show went viral on social media, drawing criticism from fans and several former cricketers.

As shown in the video, Salman questioned Babar about calling the PCB chief but did not get a response. Babar replies that he never called Ashraf.

The chat reads as follows:

Salman: 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 you. Have you called him recently?

Babar: Salam Salman bhai, Ma ny to sir ko koi call nahi ke [I have not called up sir].

The video left former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis fuming who took to microblogging site X and lashed out at the media house for running the screenshot of the chat on national television.

“Ya kya Karna ki koshish kar raha ho aap loog??? This is pathetic !!! Khush ho gaya aap loog. Please leave @babarazam258 alone. He’s an asset of Pakistan Cricket,” Waqar posted.

Anchor issues apology

Meanwhile, the anchor of the show Waseem Badami has apologised on behalf of his team, explaining his side of the story.

“When we are doing a live show in which several people are involved, a range of decisions are taken. Some of them are good and at times we make wrong decisions,” Badami said in a video shared on X.

What did Rashid Latif say?

Claiming to reveal the truth, Latif told PTV Sports that PCB chief Ashraf has not been responding to Babar’s calls and messages.

“Many things are happening in the Pakistani media, perhaps they are false news. I will provide you with the true news, which was kept on hold,” Latif told PTV Sports.

“Babar Azam has been trying to message the chairman for the past two days, but they are not responding. He is messaging Salman Naseer (Chief Operating Officer), and he is messaging Usman Walha (Director of International Cricket). So, what is the reason for not responding to their captain? Then, you are releasing a press statement.

“And it has been told to the players that we will reconsider the central contracts they have signed. These central contracts will not be accepted. Players have not received their salaries for five months, so how will they play? I didn’t want to reveal this,” he further added.