"If I decide to step down again, I'll announce it but for now, I haven't thought about it and the decision is up to PCB": Babar Azam

[riddu]

easy cash making as captain... so noone will leave captaincy

 

[topspin]

The team's dislike of Babar started in the ODI WC in India in 2023 where Babar ensured that He, Rizwan and Shaheen got the top A central contract from the PCB whereas all the other categories remained the same. The players felt badly let down and betrayed by Babar and when they confronted him on this, he responded authoritatively without concern, don't ask me, my agent negotiated our central contracts with the PCB, talk to your agent, i am not responsible.

It was madness by the PCB to re-appoint him as captain again just because of Javed Afridi's black mailing.

@Rana Were you aware of this?

 

[Rana]

@Rana Were you aware of this?

I remember this guy and Major mentioning this at the time of the 2023 World Cup. Tbh, there is no clear cut source confirming that Babar got the best deals for him, Rizwan and Shaheen…and then told everyone else to take a hike and get their managers to sort it out for them. That kind of information is probably the most sensitive in player/agent+board matters…it is highly unlikely a 3rd source (a journalist) can have this kind of information and be able to leak it with accuracy.

What we do know is, the players did not accept the PCB’s new central contract offers at the time because they insisted on getting a share of the Broadcast deal revenue or the ICC revenue citing that they are entitled to it being the stars that pull the money for the PCB…in that case it isn’t farfetched to think Babar’s agent insisted through Babar to get the best percentage cut for himself, Rizwan and Shaheen as they are billed as the big 3 for Pakistan. This is what most likely happened. I am speculating.

The whole ‘conflict of interest’ thing busted open or escalated when Zaka Ashraf and his management realised that they are being taken for hostage by some unknown bloke behind the scenes pulling the strings behind Babar…they were stuck because the players knew Pakistan had to send them off for the 2 month ICC event, and they (through Babar) can get anything they wanted really at such a delicate stage.

ZA waited for the right time (loss to India and then Afghanistan) to open up this issue in order to avoid any heat towards himself. They knew now was the time to strike back…although they would act as if they had no clue about the agent manipulating the issue from beforehand

 

[zaidihusain]

Sometimes I wonder how can someone be so stubborn & adamant like Babar. This guy even after playing nonstop international cricket since 7-8 years has failed to improve his game & captaincy across format and still making silly excuses. It's high time he should be discarded from T20s at least. Players like Salman Agha, Saud Shakeel, Wasim jnr are sitting on bench because of his outrageous captaincy

 

[TheSultan]

Selecting Shan Masood in T20 would be absolute madness. We already have two anchors, you want to add another?

I wouldn’t have either Rizwan, Babar or Shan, but if I had to choose one, Shan is the best of the lot. He outplayed both of these frauds in the 2022 World Cup

 

[mominsaigol]

I wouldn’t have either Rizwan, Babar or Shan, but if I had to choose one, Shan is the best of the lot. He outplayed both of these frauds in the 2022 World Cup

Shan isn't better then rizwan or babar as a batsmen just saying.

He's only better as a captain, but even as a captain he's can't do anything if the skill gap is too high which is why KK faiked and why the Australia test series was a mollywhop. Credit to him for making certain decisions that allowed him to remain somewhat competitive

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

I wouldn’t have either Rizwan, Babar or Shan, but if I had to choose one, Shan is the best of the lot. He outplayed both of these frauds in the 2022 World Cup

He did but he's still not cut out for the T20 format. And if I had to choose one out of these three I would still choose Babar.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

The team's dislike of Babar started in the ODI WC in India in 2023 where Babar ensured that He, Rizwan and Shaheen got the top A central contract from the PCB whereas all the other categories remained the same. The players felt badly let down and betrayed by Babar and when they confronted him on this, he responded authoritatively without concern, don't ask me, my agent negotiated our central contracts with the PCB, talk to your agent, i am not responsible.

It was madness by the PCB to re-appoint him as captain again just because of Javed Afridi's black mailing.

I'm no fan of Babar as captain, but I think you're trying to make a mountain out of a molehill here. Even if this happened, who else besides Babar, Rizwan and Shaheen even qualifies for a Grade A central contract? Naseem only started playing all three formats last year. No other player plays all three formats for Pakistan. And why is it Babar's job to ensure every players gets a nice payout? I would think that is something to be negotiated between them and the PCB. If I was in Babar's place I would have done the same thing, have my agent look at my interests. It's not my job to ensure every player gets paid right.

 

[TheSultan]

He did but he's still not cut out for the T20 format. And if I had to choose one out of these three I would still choose Babar.

Personally Babar’s bunnyness vs Spin swings it for me. You’re always going to get some spinners in a t20.

We can agree to disagree there, but it shouldn’t really be a discussion. Neither of these 3 should be anywhere near a t20 team.

 

[Savak]

I'm no fan of Babar as captain, but I think you're trying to make a mountain out of a molehill here. Even if this happened, who else besides Babar, Rizwan and Shaheen even qualifies for a Grade A central contract? Naseem only started playing all three formats last year. No other player plays all three formats for Pakistan. And why is it Babar's job to ensure every players gets a nice payout? I would think that is something to be negotiated between them and the PCB. If I was in Babar's place I would have done the same thing, have my agent look at my interests. It's not my job to ensure every player gets paid right.

According to Mubashir Luqman, the message given to the other players by Babar was sign up with Saya to improve their chances of having their central contracts perks and privilege's improved. The issue wasn't actually the category but more the players resentment why did Babar as captain go to the PCB negotiating a pay rise claiming to represent the team and only enrich himself and a few select others at the expense of everyone else The players were hoping that the rewards for the B and C categories would go up but that did not really happen except for the A Categories.

 

[cricketmania22]

According to Mubashir Luqman, the message given to the other players by Babar was sign up with Saya to improve their chances of having their central contracts perks and privilege's improved. The issue wasn't actually the category but more the players resentment why did Babar as captain go to the PCB negotiating a pay rise claiming to represent the team and only enrich himself and a few select others at the expense of everyone else The players were hoping that the rewards for the B and C categories would go up but that did not really happen except for the A Categories.

Mubashar Luqman? Even his family members don’t take him seriously.

 

[topspin]

I remember this guy and Major mentioning this at the time of the 2023 World Cup. Tbh, there is no clear cut source confirming that Babar got the best deals for him, Rizwan and Shaheen…and then told everyone else to take a hike and get their managers to sort it out for them. That kind of information is probably the most sensitive in player/agent+board matters…it is highly unlikely a 3rd source (a journalist) can have this kind of information and be able to leak it with accuracy.

What we do know is, the players did not accept the PCB’s new central contract offers at the time because they insisted on getting a share of the Broadcast deal revenue or the ICC revenue citing that they are entitled to it being the stars that pull the money for the PCB…in that case it isn’t farfetched to think Babar’s agent insisted through Babar to get the best percentage cut for himself, Rizwan and Shaheen as they are billed as the big 3 for Pakistan. This is what most likely happened. I am speculating.

The whole ‘conflict of interest’ thing busted open or escalated when Zaka Ashraf and his management realised that they are being taken for hostage by some unknown bloke behind the scenes pulling the strings behind Babar…they were stuck because the players knew Pakistan had to send them off for the 2 month ICC event, and they (through Babar) can get anything they wanted really at such a delicate stage.

ZA waited for the right time (loss to India and then Afghanistan) to open up this issue in order to avoid any heat towards himself. They knew now was the time to strike back…although they would act as if they had no clue about the agent manipulating the issue from beforehand

Thank you. I wouldn’t be surprised if this was all true. Sounds like a Babar Azam thing to do.

He’s already stitched up Shaheen, who was more than just loyal friend. He stuck up him when his shoddy captaincy was getting exposed left, right and centre. On his social media accounts, he was telling everyone “sochna bhi mana hai” but we all knew this was a dumb move that would come back to haunt him.

I hope after this episode, SSA will learn to love himself before he does any favours for any one of his “mates”.

 

[Shoaib Akhtar 100 MPH]

Babar should step down immediately after this debacle and refocus his game as a player.

He is being poorly advised by the people in his circle.

Gary Kirsten needs to take control of this situation and be given the freedom to do so otherwise he should step down and walk away.

We need leadership on and off the field.

7 selectors is a farce as is this chairman.

No more family trips on PCB expenses.

We need a clean break but we wont get it until corruption is dead and buried throughout the country in every sector.

Otherwise this vicious cycle will continue.

 

[heddie19]

Shan isn't better then rizwan or babar as a batsmen just saying.

He's only better as a captain, but even as a captain he's can't do anything if the skill gap is too high which is why KK faiked and why the Australia test series was a mollywhop. Credit to him for making certain decisions that allowed him to remain somewhat competitive

Shan is a better captain yet MS captaincy was given to Rizwan from Shan before they won championship. Shan is well-mannered lad but unfortunatly, he doesn't deserve to play any format. Just like Sarfraz was a great captain but he lost his place in the starting XI by not performing, we can't play a passenger in the team just bec of their captaincy acumen. It is 2024.

 

[mominsaigol]

Shan is a better captain yet MS captaincy was given to Rizwan from Shan before they won championship. Shan is well-mannered lad but unfortunatly, he doesn't deserve to play any format. Just like Sarfraz was a great captain but he lost his place in the starting XI by not performing, we can't play a passenger in the team just bec of their captaincy acumen. It is 2024.

I suggested saud and Haris as first choice. Not Shan.

Also tbf, both babar and rizwan are passengers in t20. Babar is good in odi and test though. Rizwan good in test and average in t20.

T20 is Pakistan's weakest format. In odi its bad but not nearly as bad.

 

[riddu]

hope zimbababar team take this bobby

 

[YousafTheBeast]

How much does it cost to send out a plane with a banner saying “Babar Out”?

I’ll be happy to contribute to the costs. We can’t just let things go on the way they are.