"Babar Azam will be in a very awkward position" - Salman Butt on Pakistan captain's leaked WhatsApp chat controversy
Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt recently expressed his displeasure over media houses circulating an alleged leaked WhatsApp chat of Babar Azam with a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official.
Butt opined that news channels should have sought Babar's permission before publishing his private message. Speaking about the beach of privacy, here's what he said (3:34) in his latest YouTube video:
"It was very saddening to see Babar Azam's personal chat being leaked in the media. It shouldn't have been sent to the new channel. Also, the media house published the screenshot without Babar's permission."
"The privacy of Pakistan's captain should not have been breached this way, especially at a time when the team is struggling a lot," Salman Butt added. "Babar will be in a very awkward position when the media raises these questions during a post-match press conference."
Notably, in the leaked chat shown on a Pakistani channel, PCB COO Salman Naseer texted Babar Azam for clarification over the allegations that the PCB chief Zaka Ashraf was not picking up his calls.
The Pakistani skipper replied by saying that he hadn't made any calls to the chairman.
"He is definitely mentally preoccupied" - Salman Butt on Babar Azam's form in 2023 World Cup
Salman Butt suggested that the controversies surrounding the Pakistani team have had a negative impact on Babar Azam's batting form in the 2023 World Cup.
He, however, pointed out that despite that, the star batter has fared better compared to the other batters of the side. Butt added (6:40):
"The Pakistani batters haven't been able to convert their starts into big scores. Babar Azam has to bear all the load because of that. Almost all batters have been scoring 30-35 runs at the best. Babar is not at his best but still scores 40-50. He is the best batter in Pakistan. However, he is definitely mentally preoccupied with the things that have been going on."
Babar has mustered 207 runs from six outings, which includes three half-centuries, in the ongoing ICC event.