Captaincy
On Wednesday, Babar Azam announced his resignation from the captaincy across all formats, deeming the decision difficult yet timely. Expressing gratitude to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for entrusting him with the responsibility, Azam recounted the highs and lows of his four-year captaincy journey.
He vividly remembered the call in 2019 when PCB appointed him captain, and despite the challenges, he aimed to uphold Pakistan’s pride globally.
Azam’s decision followed a meeting with PCB Chief Zaka Ashraf at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore, where he submitted a report on the team’s disappointing World Cup performance.
Despite stepping down from captaincy, Azam affirmed his commitment to representing Pakistan as a player in all three formats, offering support to the new captain and the team with his experience and dedication.
Acknowledging criticism of his leadership role after the World Cup, Azam, as per sources, is set to lead Pakistan’s Test team in the upcoming Australia tour. Former cricketers, including Younis Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Wahab Riaz, and Sohail Tanvir, had previously suggested retaining Azam as captain solely in Test cricket to alleviate the burden.
With Azam’s resignation, reports indicated that Shaheen Shah Afridi was likely to assume T20 captaincy, while Shan Masood emerged as a strong contender for leadership in Pakistan’s ODI and Test squads during the Australia tour.
As Azam steps down, Pakistan cricket undergoes a significant shift in leadership dynamics, with new faces poised to take charge in various formats. Overall, on Wednesday, Babar Azam announced his resignation from the captaincy across all cricket formats.
