Published 22:48 IST, November 28th 2020
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam accused of sexual abuse, victim alleges PCB ignored complaint
Just days after being named as Pakistan's captain in Tests as well, Babar Azam has been accused of sexual and domestic violence.
Just days after being named as Pakistan's captain in Tests, Babar Azam has been accused of sexual and domestic violence. The victim has alleged that Babar Azam had exploited her on several occasions since 2010 before making his way into the country's national team, as per reports in Pakistan media. She has claimed that she knew the Pakistani skipper as they both grew up in the same neighbourhood and were schoolmates.
The victim has alleged that she had filed a complaint with the Police in 2017 at the Nasirabad station. Addressing a press conference on Saturday, she said, "In 2010, he proposed to me and I accepted it. As time progressed, we also planned to get married. We also told our families but they refused. So in 2011, we eloped and kept telling that we would get married in a court. We would live at several rented houses and always kept avoiding marriage."
'PCB did not respond'
Moreover, the victim has claimed that she also filed a complaint 10 days ago before he left for the tour of New Zealand. She has alleged that before leaving for New Zealand, the Pakistani skipper had called her and threatened her to take back her complaint otherwise she would have to face the consequences. She also went on to claim that she had been travelling with Babar Azam on several tours and claimed to have call records as proof. Furthermore, she has stated that she had approached the PCB and the police as well but received no response.
In October 2019, Babar Azam was named captain of the Pakistan cricket team in T20Is, ahead of the Australia series. Seven months later, i.e. in May 2020, the batting sensation was appointed as ODI captain as well. Azam was officially named the Men In Green's Test skipper in November 2020 ahead of their tour to New Zealand. Azam is currently in New Zealand under quarantine ahead of the T20 series and is yet to respond to the allegations.
Updated 22:49 IST, November 28th 2020