Pakistan’s Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 captain, Babar Azam, has issued a Rs. 1 billion defamation notice to journalist Mubasher Lucman following serious match-fixing allegations. Lucman propagated these accusations on social media, prompting Azam to take legal action.
The right-handed batter filed the defamation case in response to a series of claims by Lucman, who alleged that Azam and his teammates were involved in match-fixing. Lucman accused Azam of accepting expensive gifts, such as an Audi E-Tron and luxury apartments in Australia and Dubai, suggesting these were bribes for deliberate underperformance, notably during the loss to T20 World Cup 2024 debutants, the USA. Azam’s legal team has demanded a public apology from Lucman, warning of further legal action if the apology is not issued.
Read more: Babar Azam might take legal action against accusing him of match-fixing
This legal battle highlights the heightened scrutiny and criticism faced by the Pakistani cricket team and its management following their disappointing performance in the T20 World Cup 2024.
Assistant coach Azhar Mahmood also reacted strongly to the accusations, expressing his distress on social media platform X. Mahmood highlighted the harassment he and his family have endured due to these baseless allegations.
Read more: Misbah-ul-Haq Criticizes Babar Azam as “Clueless” Following India Defeat
The intense backlash following Pakistan’s group-stage exit has led to a surge of unverified claims targeting players and coaches alike.