Babar Azam WhatsApp chat leak: PCB controversy deepens

WEB DESK: In a startling turn of events, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has found itself at the centre of a heated controversy following the alleged leak of a private WhatsApp conversation involving Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, and a high-ranking PCB official.

The saga began when former cricketer Rashid Latif, during an appearance on a local channel, accused Babar Azam of attempting to contact crucial PCB figures, including Zaka Ashraf, Salman Naseer, and Usman Wahla, but allegedly received no response for a staggering two days.

In an effort to refute these claims, PCB chief Zaka Ashraf took a decisive step by sharing a WhatsApp exchange between Babar Azam and PCB’s Chief Operating Officer, Salman Naseer, with a sports journalist.

Within this conversation, Naseer questioned Babar about rumours circulating regarding his unsuccessful attempts to contact the chairman. Babar vehemently denied ever making such calls, vehemently defending his actions.

However, the situation took a dramatic turn when a private news channel aired a screenshot of the chat, purportedly with permission from Zaka Ashraf.

The PCB, while disassociating itself from the channel’s actions, clarified that it had no influence over the channel’s editorial policies.

The cricket board stated that it was solely at the channel’s discretion to decide what to air, emphasising that the PCB had no authority over the channel’s decisions.

According to Cricket Pakistan, this unfolding controversy has resulted in a significant trust deficit between the national team players and the PCB’s Chief Operating Officer.

Additionally, local media reports suggest that Babar Azam is deeply dismayed by the leak, expressing apprehensions about the potential future exposure of his private conversations on sensitive matters to the media.

The incident has sent shockwaves through the cricketing community, raising questions about privacy and confidentiality within the sport’s administrative circles.