Reports: Babar Azam and the PCB plan to sue former cricket players and journalists

Former cricket players often criticised Pakistani captain Babar Azam for his subpar leadership during the 2024 T20 World Cup.

The 29-year-old left all captaincy roles during the 2023 ODI World Cup, but he later chose to return to leadership following demands from important Pakistani officials. Under his direction, Pakistan did, however, lose to New Zealand and England, which led to their expulsion from the global event at the group stage.

Their path to the Super Eights was complex when they lost to India and the United States of America in their opening match of the campaign. Following their elimination, a number of current and former cricket players, including Ahmed Shehzad, Shoaib Malik, and Mohd Hafeez, criticised the captain for his subpar leadership and pointed out that he gives preference to his pals on the squad, even though they are terrible players.

Documents pertaining to claims made by journalists and former cricket players have reportedly been gathered by Azam and Pakistan Cricket Board officials, and they will shortly be given to the legal department. The officials were enraged when several YouTube clip providers discussed the possibility of match-fixing.

In response, a source close to the development made a statement saying that unfounded accusations will not be accepted and that evidence will be requested. He said that the legal team will take action shortly and that there won’t be any inquiries because there is no substance to such remarks.

Also read: After the fiasco surrounding the 2024 T20 World Cup, PCB would remove players from central contracts

“We are completely cognizant of these disparaging remarks. There is no problem with criticism as long as it stays within the rules of the game. Nonetheless, First Post cited the PCB source as saying, “Unfounded accusations such as match-fixing cannot be tolerated under any circumstances.”

“PCB doesn’t doubt anything, so why should we investigate? The accusers ought to back up their claims with evidence. Our legal department has been given instructions to notify these persons and request supporting documentation. If it’s not given, we’ll pursue defamation damages. The insider further stated that a recent law in Punjab guarantees a decision in less than six months.