Watch: Babar Azam Chat leaks by PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf

Babar Azam Chat leaks, On Saturday, Rashid Latif, the former wicketkeeper for the Pakistani cricket team, accused Zaka Ashraf, the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) management committee, of allegedly ignoring Babar Azam’s efforts to get in touch with him through phone calls and text messages.

In a recent interview on a local news channel, Ashraf addressed the allegations, asserting that the Pakistan captain had never personally contacted him. Ashraf clarified by saying, “He [Latif] claims that I avoid answering Babar’s calls. However, it’s important to note that he has never actually reached out to me. The team’s captain is expected to communicate with either the Director of International Cricket or the Chief Operating Officer.”

Although Ashraf insisted that he had not been in touch with Babar, he made a significant effort to prove his point by revealing a personal WhatsApp conversation between Babar Azam and PCB’s Chief Operating Officer, Salman Naseer. This conversation was shared during a live television broadcast.

In this conversation, Naseer’s message reportedly stated, “Babar, there’s also been news circulating on TV and social media that you have been calling Chairman and he’s not answering. Have you called him recently?” According to the host, Babar responded, “Salam Salman bhai, I have not made any call to sir.”

Shameful act done by @ARYNEWSOFFICIAL by leaking Babar Azam private WhatsApp messages on national tv. I agree on the manager conflict of interest bit but doing this is utter shameful act expected better from Mr Waseem badmi.@WaseemBadamipic.twitter.com/6Y0chDPXjH

— Mustafa (@Mustafasays_) October 29, 2023

The situation surrounding the sharing of Babar’s private message on live TV has raised ethical concerns about the actions of the PCB chief. There’s uncertainty about whether Babar consented to having his personal message disclosed, which could be viewed as a violation of his privacy.

Former Pakistani cricketer Azhar Ali also expressed a similar concern during the program, questioning whether the PCB chief or the program sought Babar’s permission before broadcasting his personal message on air.

Waseem Badami, the host of the show, took to his social media platform to address the issue. He acknowledged the mistake of revealing the WhatsApp conversation involving Babar, explaining that there was initial hesitation. However, they ultimately decided to show it on-screen because they had received permission from the PCB chief. Despite this, Badami emphasized that it was an incorrect decision by the channel to air the conversation and offered a sincere apology for the error.