The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) finds itself embroiled in controversy as a leaked audio clip, purportedly featuring Chairman Zaka Ashraf, sheds light on the tumultuous removal of Babar Azam from captaincy across cricket formats.
The circulating 2-minute and 15-second audio snippet paints a contentious picture. The alleged audio captured Zaka Ashraf’s voice and unraveled the underlying motives behind Babar Azam’s dethronement, among other startling revelations.
Zaka Ashraf Audio Leak Revelations
Within the leaked audio, a voice akin to Ashraf’s implicates, “Hassan Ali played because he is Babar Azam’s friend. There is a person called Talha (Aisham) who is an agent. He has 8 national team players under his control. He even goes to the homes of players and has good relations with their families as well. And the players don’t even move without taking his permission. When I told Babar Azam to remain the Test skipper but leave white-ball captaincy, he told me to send it home. Then I told him to step aside as captain from all formats. I even had a plan B.”
Breaking News
فاختہ چئیرمین پی سی بی مینجمنٹ کمیٹی ذکاء اشرف صاحب کی مبینہ آڈیو منظر عام پر لے آئی. کیسے انہوں نے پلاننگ کی.کیسے محمد رضوان کو وائیٹ بال کی کپتانی نہ کرنے دی.بابر اعظم کے خلاف کونسا پلان بی تیار تھا فاختہ سب منظر عام پر لے آئی،،،@TalhaAisham
پر الزام عائد کیا کہ… pic.twitter.com/Uh83UwKfQU— Qadir Khawaja (@iamqadirkhawaja) December 18, 2023
Alleged friction between Zaka Ashraf and Babar Azam purportedly emerged during the ICC World Cup 2023 in India, where Pakistan’s unceremonious exit after consecutive defeats sparked tensions within the cricketing ranks.
Babar Azam WhatsApp Chat Leak
In a separate incident in November, leaked WhatsApp chat between Babar Azam and PCB’s Chief Operating Officer Salman Naseer surfaced, hinting at potential communication between the then-captain and Zaka Ashraf Ashraf during the World Cup, as per local media reports.
Fallout and Ongoing Changes
Post their disappointing World Cup campaign, the PCB reviewed the situation, resulting in Babar’s removal from captaincy. Shan Masood took charge of Tests, Shaheen Shah Afridi was appointed T20I skipper, while the ODI leadership position remains vacant. However, the Zaka Ashraf’s audio leak also points out that Shaheen Afridi will also take charge of the ODI side.
As this contentious saga unfolds, the PCB faces mounting scrutiny, prompting deeper scrutiny into the workings and decisions within the cricketing board.
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