Babar Azam WhatsApp Chat Leak: Pakistan TV anchor issues apology for not taking 'consent'

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Following the controversy of Babar Azam's WhatsApp chat leak, Pakistan TV anchor Waseem Badami issued an apology on X, formerly Twitter, to the Pakistan captain following huge social media uproar. Badami accepted that he and his team at ARY News were at fault for airing private messages between Babar and PCB COO Salman Naseer.

"We have to make a lot of quick decisions when we produce a live show. A lot of people are involved in it too. Naturally, some decisions prove to be right and some wrong," Waseem Badami said in a video posted on his X account.

"As a team, we made a wrong decision, sharing Babar's chat with a senior PCB official. In short, we were sitting together and deciding an hour before the show that we shouldn't make a private chat public."

He further added that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Zaka Ashraf shared the screenshot of the conversation to them few minutes before the show and urged them to show it on Live on air. Badami, however, took the blame for not taking consent of sharing Babar Azam before showing it on TV.

"About five to seven minutes before the show, we received a clip where Zaka Ashraf is saying: 'I am giving you this screenshot and I am asking you to show it live on screen'. Ashraf also gave us permission to share that. He was taking responsibility on TV; we thought we could share it.

"But it wasn't the ideal decision. We conveniently forgot that Babar Azam's consent was also important. I'm saying this on behalf of my team and the management. I am not proud of it, we are not proud of it. When something like this happens, you learn from it and try not to repeat the same in future," he added.

The controversy revolves around the striking claims made by former Pakistan wicketkeeper Rashid Latif, blaming Zaka Ashraf for ignoring calls by the captain while adding months of salaries of national team players are due. Following the claims, Salman Naseer contacted Babar Azam on WhatsApp and asked if it was true and the Pakistan captain didn't back the statement made by Latif.

"Babar, there's also been news circulating on TV and social media that you have been calling Chairman and he's not answering. Have you called him recently?" read the message allegedly sent by the PCB COO.

"Salam (greetings) Salman bhai. Maine to sir ko koi call nai ke [I haven't called sir]," replied Babar Azam.