Shahid Afridi slams journalist for leaking Babar Azam's alleged private chat with PCB COO

Former Pakistani cricketer Rashid Latif created a stir by disclosing purported WhatsApp conversations between Pakistan's captain, Babar Azam, and the PCB chief, Zaka Ashraf. In these chats, Babar seemingly affirmed that there were no internal disputes within the team. Reacting to this ongoing controversy, former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has shared his perspective, stating that...

“It’s very obnoxious on the part of Rashid Latif to have revealed the personal chats of someone. He is demeaning the country and players who play for the country”

Here's what Shahid Afridi said: 

Shahid Afridi further commented that he had heard Rashid Latif's allegations regarding Babar attempting to contact the PCB chairman, but his calls went unanswered. To address this issue, the situation of leaked WhatsApp chats has escalated, which Afridi finds disturbing, especially if the leaks originated from the chairman's side.

“Previously, I heard Rashid Latif saying in the media about Babar calling the chairman only to have been left unanswered by him. In order to counter this remark, the whole Whatsapp chat ‘game’ has been played. Why would they reveal someone’s private messages on live television?” Afridi added. 

What has unfolded so far between Babar Azam and PCB management?

A private conversation between Pakistan's captain, Babar Azam, and the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Salman Naseer, was made public amidst rumours that the PCB chief, Zaka Ashraf, was unresponsive to Babar's attempts to reach out. The leaked chat was broadcast on a Pakistani television channel, in which Salman inquired about the claims that Babar had been trying to contact the PCB chief without success.
Babar responded by denying that he had attempted to call Ashraf.

The situation escalated when former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif alleged that PCB chief Ashraf had stopped communicating with Babar and raised concerns about the unpaid salaries of Pakistan cricketers for the last four to five months. This controversy gained further momentum with the leaked WhatsApp messages revealing the conversation between Babar and the PCB's COO.