(AFP Photo)
Following widespread speculation on social media alleging that the families of players and coaching staff traveled with the team at the expense of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), assistant coach Azhar Mahmood has issued a statement indicating his intention to take action. “pursuing legal advice against those responsible for making these false allegations”.
“This culture of falsely accusing and misleading people to believe a false narrative is now getting ridiculous and dangerous. Speaking without evidence and misconstruing facts is a criminal offence, and those engaging in such behaviour will be dealt with through legal action,” wrote Azhar Mahmood on X formerly known as Twitter.
The Pakistan team had a disappointing T20 World Cup campaign, exiting the tournament at the group stage after being edged out by hosts USA in the standings. This setback adds to a series of controversies surrounding the team, which is currently under scrutiny following their early elimination from the World Cup.
“Pursuing an increase in followers and media attention by spreading falsehoods is downright unacceptable. I will be pursuing legal advice against those responsible for making these false allegations towards me and my family, and strict action will be taken accordingly. We will not be discussing this matter further on social media. I urge everyone to avoid engaging with or entertaining these harmful narratives as it is essential to put an end to such behaviour in our media culture,” he concluded.
Shortly after this incident, Pakistani media disclosed that captain Babar Azam plans to pursue legal measures against former cricketers and YouTubers who have accused the world’s top-ranked ODI batsman of misconduct during the tournament.
