Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee chairperson Zaka Ashraf has sparked controversy during Pakistan’s visit to India for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. In a viral video, Zaka can be seen addressing the media about PCB’s new contracts for players, where he referred to players going to “enemy country” for tournaments, allegedly referring to India.
“We gave these contracts to our players with love and affection. Never in the history of Pakistan, such a large sum of money has been given to players. My aim was to keep the players’ morale high as they go to countries, the enemy country (‘Dushman Mulk’) for competitions,” said Ashraf in the video.
These remarks have drawn criticism from both Indian and Pakistani cricket fans, especially given the warm reception Pakistan’s players have received in India ahead of the tournament. Many took to social media to express their anger and disappointment at Zaka’s statements. Pakistani netizens criticized him, calling his statement shameful and irresponsible.
Despite the controversy, the Pakistan team will continue with their preparations for the World Cup. They will play warm-up matches against New Zealand and Australia before starting their campaign against the Netherlands on October 6.
The Pakistan squad for the World Cup includes players like Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, and Mohammad Rizwan, among others.
(Note: This article has been condensed and edited for clarity. The original article is a syndicated feed and has not been altered by NDTV staff.)