‘Mind Your Own Business’: Shahid Afridi Rebukes PCB Chief Over Criticizing Babar Azam

The Pakistan cricket team is currently facing a challenging phase at the Cricket World Cup. Led by Babar Azam, the team has managed to win only three out of seven games, making a semi-final berth a challenging prospect. Amid this struggle, a significant controversy has arisen due to an alleged WhatsApp chat leak involving Babar Azam.

A Pakistani TV channel shared a screenshot of the alleged chat. In this conversation, the text displayed by the Pakistani channel read: “Babar, there’s also been this news circulating on TV and social media that you have been calling Chairman, and he’s not answering. Have you called him recently?” The sender, identified as Salman, inquired about this.

The receiver, saved as ‘Babar Azam New,’ responded, “Salam Salman bhai, ma ny to sir ko koi call nai ke” (Hello Salman brother, I did not call sir).

What adds a layer of complexity to this situation is that it has been revealed by the news anchor who displayed the WhatsApp message on live TV that it was the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) chief, Zaka Ashraf, who had asked them to showcase the message during the show.

The news host, Waseem Badami, explained that about 7 minutes before the show was set to begin, the channel received a clip in which Zaka Ashraf requested them to display the message. Ashraf gave permission for it to be shared. However, it appears they overlooked the importance of obtaining consent from Babar Azam. Badami admitted that it wasn’t the ideal decision and expressed regret for their actions.

Following this revelation, a video has circulated on social media where former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi addresses Zaka Ashraf, urging him to focus on his responsibilities as the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Afridi emphasized that Zaka Ashraf holds a significant position and should be mindful of his actions. He expressed surprise that Ashraf was contacting media house owners regarding comments made about him, stating that he should concentrate on his work and deliver results. Afridi advised him to strengthen his position and not give others the opportunity to criticize him.

This controversy arises amidst reports that the relationship between Pakistan captain Babar Azam and PCB chief Zaka Ashraf is strained. The PCB had previously released a statement acknowledging media scrutiny directed at Babar Azam and the team management. The statement highlighted that decisions regarding the team would be based on their performances in the World Cup. The PCB encouraged support from fans, former players, and stakeholders as the team aimed for a successful comeback in the tournament.