Pakistan Cricket Team
The Pakistan cricket team arrived in the city of joy on Saturday evening, with few reasons to be joyful. They currently hold the sixth position in the World Cup points table, having won just two of their six matches. Their chances of making the semi-finals are very slim.
While Pakistan’s on-field issues persist, off-field problems have created a sense of suffocation and panic within the team, potentially contributing to their below-par performances.
After Pakistan’s one-wicket defeat to South Africa on Friday, former captain Rashid Latif claimed that Babar had been attempting to contact PCB interim Management Committee chairman Zaka Ashraf for two days but had received no response.
Rashid also mentioned that Babar tried reaching out to the PCB’s chief operating officer Salman Naseer and director international Usman Wahla, but both officials failed to respond.
According to Rashid and some media reports, the apparent fallout has arisen due to ongoing disagreements over the players’ central contracts, which have yet to be signed.
Rashid claimed that the players have not received their salaries for the past five months, and there are still disagreements between them and the board regarding certain contract clauses.
Umar Farooq Kalson, the Pakistan team’s media manager and the former PCB director of media, “categorically” denied Rashid’s claim, stating that Babar and all the other players were focused on cricket.
Umar confirmed that the players have now begun signing the contracts, and they will start receiving their due compensation from the next week. He emphasized that there were no revisions from the contracts offered in September and that the signing process can sometimes take time.
The PCB has witnessed changes in administration since September 2021, with three different administrations running the board, contributing to instability and uncertainty within the team. This situation has affected the players mentally, creating fear and uncertainty, although they remain committed to their professional duties.
