Former Pakistani Skipper Rashid Latif has made a shocking disclosure regarding the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials, including the chairman, Zaka Ashraf. According to Latif, these officials have been blatantly ignoring text messages from none other than the current national team skipper, Babar Azam.
As if this revelation wasn’t unsettling enough, Pakistan’s performance in the ongoing Cricket World Cup in India adds to the concerns. The team has encountered four losses in six games, putting them at risk of early elimination from the tournament. One particularly painful loss came on a nail-biting Friday, where Pakistan was defeated by just one wicket against South Africa.
With the Cricket World Cup in full swing, Pakistan currently finds itself in the sixth position on the points table. For a cricket-loving nation with high expectations from its team, this is a far cry from where they hoped to be at this competition stage.
Returning to the shocking revelation, Rashid Latif pointed out Babar Azam’s efforts to communicate with the PCB officials. Babar, the captain of the national team, has been sending messages to the chairman and even to Salman Naseer, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the PCB. To the astonishment of many, none of these messages received a response. This leads to a crucial question: Why are the officials not responding to their team’s captain?
“Babar Azam has been messaging the chairman. But he is not responding. He even texted Salman Naseer (PCB COO). But he did not respond either. What is the reason that he is not responding to his captain? Then, you are giving out a press release. You are also saying the central contracts will be redone. Players have not received salaries for five months. Should the players listen to you?” Latif said on PTV Sports.
The situation gets more distressing when you learn that the players representing Pakistan have yet to receive their salaries for the past five months. This concerning financial instability is certainly not an ideal backdrop for a team trying to perform at a major international tournament.
Reports have emerged that the players are deeply dissatisfied with the board due to a perceived lack of support. This internal discord within the team is far from an ideal situation for a squad trying to win the coveted World Cup.
سابق کرکٹر راشد لطیف صاحب نے حیرت انگیز انکشاف کیا ہے کہ جناب پروفیشنل چئیرمین پی سی بی مینجمنٹ کمیٹی ذکاء اشرف صاحب قومی ٹیم کے کپتان بابر اعظم کے میسجز اور کالز کا جواب نہیں دے رہے.. کپتان نے عثمان واہلہ سلمان نصیر سے بھی رابطہ کیا انہوں نے بھی کوئی جواب نہیں دیا…
— Qadir Khawaja (@iamqadirkhawaja) October 27, 2023
اور اب ذکاء… pic.twitter.com/QBgDnO14HS
Adding to the drama, PCB hinted earlier in the week that Babar Azam’s captaincy could be in jeopardy if the team’s campaign in the ongoing World Cup continues to falter. Babar has faced intense scrutiny as Pakistan struggles with a four-game losing streak.
To address the concerns and the scrutiny directed at Captain Babar Azam and the team management, the PCB issued a statement. In it, the board emphasizes that successes and defeats are an inherent part of the game. The statement also notes that Babar Azam and Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq were given the freedom and support to form the squad for the ICC World Cup 2023.
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“Addressing the media scrutiny directed at captain Babar Azam and the team management, the board’s stance, echoing former cricketers, is that successes and defeats are part of the game. Captain Babar Azam and Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq were given freedom and support in forming the squad for the ICC World Cup 2023,” PCB said in a statement.
The board’s statement further asserts that decisions will be made in the best interest of Pakistan cricket based on the team’s performance in the World Cup. It encourages fans, former players, and stakeholders to rally behind the team as they strive to make a triumphant comeback in this mega event.
The board further stated, “Looking ahead, the board will make decisions in the best interest of Pakistan cricket based on the team’s performances in the World Cup. Currently, the PCB encourages fans, former players and stakeholders to rally behind the team as they strive to make a triumphant comeback in the mega-event.”
