Viral Pakistan Women’s Fitness Video Sparks Criticism, but Its Origin Is Disputed
A viral training clip drew online criticism of Wahab Riaz, but a fact-check claims the players are Pakistan Under-19 women, not the senior team.
By SportCricket Desk · 28 Sep 2026 · 2 min read
A video of an unusual fitness drill, widely shared online around September 27, 2026, has triggered criticism of Pakistan women’s cricket, though it is unclear whether the footage shows the senior team at all.
The clip shows four cricketers taking part in an unconventional exercise while team-mates cheer them on. Some social media users aimed their criticism at Wahab Riaz, who is linked with the senior women’s side.
A fact-check changes the picture
A fact-check post circulating on social media says the players in the footage belong to Pakistan’s Under-19 women’s team, not the senior squad. It adds that Wahab Riaz and Umaid Asif are part of the senior team’s management and have no role with the Under-19 setup.
If that is correct, the video has no direct connection to Wahab or to the senior women’s team, and the early criticism appears to have rested on an assumption about who was shown.
Wahab Riaz’s background
After his playing career, Wahab served as chief selector of the Pakistan men’s team from November 2023 to July 2024, and later moved into a position in the women’s cricket setup.
What remains unconfirmed
The original source of the video, the identities of the four players and the exact circumstances of the drill have not been independently confirmed.
The episode is a reminder of how fast training footage can spread online, and how assumptions about who is involved can draw criticism before the full context is known.
