NEW DELHI: Zaka Ashraf, the chairperson of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee, has ignited a controversy with his recent comments.
Pakistan cricket team has made their journey to India for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, scheduled to commence on October 5.
In a viral video circulating on social media, Zaka Ashraf can be heard discussing players traveling to a “dushman mulk” (enemy country) for tournaments while addressing the media regarding the new player contracts issued by the PCB. Ashraf’s remarks have been widely interpreted as targeting India.
In the video, Ashraf stated, “We gave these contracts to our players with love and affection. Never in the history of Pakistan, such a significant amount of money has been awarded to players. My aim was to boost the players’ morale as they go to countries, the enemy country (‘Dushman Mulk’) for competitions.”

Ashraf’s comments have drawn criticism from both Indian and Pakistani cricket fans, particularly in light of the warm reception received by the Pakistan team in India, particularly in Hyderabad, ahead of the tournament. Many individuals took to social media to express their displeasure with Ashraf’s statements.
One Pakistani cricket fan commented on X, saying, “Shame on PCB chairman for calling India ‘Dushman mulk’ despite a warm welcome from them. Zaka Ashraf is the real enemy of our team. Dear Indians, don’t take him seriously; he’s just a political tout, which is why he was made chairman.”

Another Pakistani cricket enthusiast, Sultan Khan, criticized the PCB Chief’s statement as irresponsible, stating, “Irresponsible statement from the head of PCB, Zaka Ashraf. India is not our enemy.”

The Pakistan cricket team is scheduled to play their first warm-up match against New Zealand in Hyderabad. Following this, they will face Australia in another warm-up match on October 3. Pakistan’s World Cup campaign will officially kick off on October 6 with a match against the Netherlands.
(With ANI inputs)