Pakistan’s World Cup struggles persist as a fresh controversy emerges, putting captain Babar Azam’s private messages in the spotlight on live television. In addition to their on-field challenges, off-field issues continue to capture public attention and provoke reactions. Many more facets of this story are expected to unfold in the days to come.

Local reporters have unveiled a payment dispute involving Pakistani cricketers and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). It has come to light that players have not received their earnings for the past four to five months, despite the announcement of central contracts during the Asia Cup. However, the distribution of payments remains pending.

PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf, in an interview with ARY News, attributed the delay in payment to the need for adhering to proper procedures. He clarified that players had insufficient time to sign contracts before their departure, which led to delays in paperwork and subsequently, payment processing. Ashraf also mentioned that the contracts are currently in transit to India for finalization.

PCB Chairman Shuts the Door on Babar Azam as Private Chats Leak

Numerous reports indicate that Pakistan’s captain has taken a prominent role in voicing players’ grievances, making efforts to get in touch with Ashraf, who is alleged to have ignored his calls and messages.

Former wicketkeeper Rashid Latif has corroborated this claim. However, Ashraf refuted these accusations during an interview, asserting that Babar had never reached out to him.

According to Latif, as he stated on PTV Sports, “Babar Azam has been messaging the chairman for two days, but he hasn’t replied. He’s been messaging Salman Naseer (PCB COO) and Usman Wahla (PCB Director).”

In contrast, Ashraf dismissed these claims, saying, “He [the captain] has never called me. The team’s captain has a level – he can communicate up to the director or COO.”

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A circulating video clip includes an excerpt from ARY News where a conversation between Babar and PCB COO Salman Naseer is disclosed. A WhatsApp screenshot displays a message from Salman inquiring whether Babar had contacted the PCB Chairman regarding the issue. In response, the 29-year-old appears to deny having made such a call.

Revelation Emerges from Journalist Regarding Leaked Chats

Wasim Badami, the anchor who initially reported the leaked chats, faced criticism from both fans and former Pakistani cricketers, notably Shahid Afridi, who directly expressed his disapproval. Badami addressed the issue by taking to his official platform to clarify his position.

“As a team, we made an erroneous decision by sharing Babar’s chat with a senior PCB official,” he explained. “In essence, we were deliberating an hour before the show about not making private chats public. Just five to seven minutes before the show, we received a clip in which Zaka Ashraf is heard saying, ‘I am giving you this screenshot and I am asking you to show it live on screen. If he’s admitting responsibility on TV,’ and we thought we could share it. It wasn’t the optimal decision,” he admitted.