Legendary cricketer Waqar Younis Monday took to social media to slam those leaking personal chats on TV after an alleged WhatsApp chat between Pakistan cricket team skipper Babar Azam and a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official went viral on social media. Although the original source is not verified, the chat was aired during one of the talk shows on the channel ‘ARY News‘, which captured a conversation between Babar and PCB’s Chief Operating Officer, Salman Naseer.
The entire fiasco began after Pakistan lost four of their six matches – and is pushed on the brink of elimination from the World Cup. There are rumours that Babar’s captaincy is under the line of fire and that PCB chief Zaka Ashraf isn’t even answering his phone calls. Waqar wasn’t happy seeing an alleged ‘personal chat’ being made public.
The text, as displayed by ‘ARY News’, read:
“Babar, there’s also been this news circulating on TV and social media that you have been calling the chairman and he’s not answering. Have you called him recently,” the sender by the name of Salman was seen asking the Pakistan captain, to which the receiver, whose name was saved as ‘Babar Azam New’ responded saying: “Salam Salman bhai! Maine toh sir ko call nahi kara (Greetings Salman! I did not make any such calls to sir)”.
“Ya kya Karna ki koshish kar raha ho aap loog??? This is pathetic !!! Khush ho gaya aap loog. Please leave @babarazam258 alone He’s an asset of Pakistan Cricket @TheRealPCB @ARYNEWSOFFICIAL @Salman_ARY,” Waqar wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Azhar Ali, the former Pakistan skipper, who was present on the show when the WhatsApp chat was being telecasted in front of the entire world, condemned the careless behaviour of ARY News. The former skipper asked “Before forwarding this message, was Babar’s permission taken? And even before playing this up, you should have taken Babar’s approval.”
Netizens also reacted sharply.
A user said “they just showed babar azam’s priv whatsapp convo with someone on live tv without his consent. this is pakistan’s captain. how can you stoop so low @Shoaib_Jatt and how can you approve to show this on your show @WaseemBadami, expected better from you. ABSOLUTELY PATHETIC. LANAT.
Another user commented @Salman_ARY seriously? You approve of this propaganda against @babarazam258