Former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has opened up on the controversy over captain Babar Azam’s private WhatsApp chat with a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official being leaked. He said the incident was a “pathetic act” and a “shameful move”. However, Pakistan cricket has come under the scanner over the last few days when former keeper-batter Rashid Latif alleged that PCB chief Zaka Ashraf had stopped responding to calls and messages from Babar Azam as well. Following this, a leaked chat between Babar and PCB COO Salman Naseer showed that the Pakistan captain had not contacted Ashraf recently as well.

Sharing his thoughts on the controversy, Afridi told SAMAA TV: “It is a shameful move. We are defaming our nation ourselves. We are defaming our players ourselves. How can you leak someone’s private messages, that too of captain Babar Azam? Earlier, it was being said that the chairman was called a few times.”

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“I saw Rashid Latif reporting that there is a tiff between Babar Azam and Zaka Ashraf. Babar was calling him but he wasn’t answering. I think to counter those reports, this was done but it is uncalled for. The manner in which this was leaked in the media. I think Shoaib Jatt brought it up. Why did he do so? Did the chairman ask him to do so?” the former Pakistan captain further added. “Even if the chairman has done this, I am sorry to say but this is a pathetic act.”

However, Pakistan have been struggling in the 2023 World Cup, where they lost four matches on a trot. They are placed seventh in the points table, with four points from six games so far as well.