PCB not answering Babar's calls, players unpaid: Pakistan's World Cup campaign worsens with latest setback - Report

According to a report, Pakistani players have not been paid for five months and the PCB is not even answering Babar Azam's calls.

Even though Pakistan strongly believe that 'miracles can happen' at the grandest stage of them all, it is unlikely that the Green Army will seal their berth for the business end of the ICC World Cup 2023 in India. Babar Azam and Co. suffered a heartbreaking defeat at the hands of South Africa in its previous World Cup outing. The one-wicket defeat has pushed Pakistan to the brink of an early exit from the World Cup.

Pakistan's captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan talk during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup match between Pakistan and Afghanistan(AP)

Sixth-placed Pakistan are levelled on points with Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and the Netherlands in the World Cup standings. Since losing to hosts India at the world's latest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad, Pakistan have failed to revive its World Cup campaign. The 1992 world champions kickstarted their 2023 campaign with a win over the Netherlands. Pakistan then scripted history by pulling off the highest run-chase in the history of the ICC World Cup against Sri Lanka.

Pakistan's poor showing at World Cup

Rohit Sharma's high-flying Team India then hammered Babar and Co. in the high-voltage clash before Australia thrashed Pakistan in the round-robin phase of the ICC World Cup. The Green Army was also humiliated by Afghanistan, who recorded its first-ever win over Pakistan in the 50-over format at the India World Cup. The Green Army is four points behind fourth-placed Australia and New Zealand, who are ranked third on the points table. Babar and Co. are six points behind second-placed South Africa and table-toppers India.

PCB ghosting Babar

Speaking to RevSportz when Pakistan locked horns with South Africa at the World Cup on Friday, journalist Shahid Hashmi claimed that Babar and Co. have not been paid by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for five months. “Yes, players have not been paid for five months. That played up on their minds during the World Cup. Don't know why PCB copped out of settling all the payments of the players. They announced the central contract after the Asia Cup but players have not been paid. And Babar Azam is the one who is complaining the most. His telephone calls are not received by PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf,” Hashmi said.

Babar facing the axe

According to a previous report Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi have emerged as the leading candidates to replace Babar as Pakistan's new captain after the ICC World Cup. Pakistan are set to tour Australia after the India World Cup. Averaging 34.50, top-ranked batter Babar has scored 207 runs for Pakistan at the showpiece event in India.

"Babar Azam has lost favour with most of their players. And the team management will definitely recommend replacing him as the team's captain from all three formats because Pakistan is due to tour Australia for a tough Test series. There are reports that whatever the team management was telling him, he was not obeying and he was not executing the plans given by the team management," Hashmi added. Pakistan will meet England, New Zealand and Bangladesh in its upcoming encounters at the ICC World Cup.