Babar Azam leaves Pakistan; successor finalised
Published - 02 Oct 2024, 10:24 AM | Updated - 02 Oct 2024, 11:36 PM
Star batter Babar Azam has stepped down as the white ball captain of the Pakistan national cricket team for the second time in 10 months. Babar Azam announced that he made this decision to "prioritize" his performance as a player following a disastrous second reign as Pakistan white ball skipper.
The ace batter had initially stepped down as Pakistan's captain in all formats after the team's disappointing performance at the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, where Pakistan failed to advance to the semifinal stage. However, Babar was reappointed as white-ball captain by PCB's leadership change.
Babar Azam started his second term as captain with a 2-2 draw in a T20I series against second-string New Zealand at home. However, the lowest point came after a surprising loss to the USA in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Pakistan lost to India in the next game and failed to advance to the Super 8 stage.
He faced heavy criticism following Pakistan's poor performances in the Caribbean and the USA. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board made no immediate changes to the team. Mohammad Rizwan and Shadab Khan were touted as potential successors to become the next whiteball captain of Pakistan.
I Want To Prioritize My Performance - Babar Azam
On Wednesday, October 2, Babar Azam took to his social media account to announce that he would step down as captain of the Pakistan men's cricket team. Babar said that he felt it was time for him to step down and focus on his playing game.
The 29-year-old batter stated that it had been an honor to lead the team but emphasized that captaincy added a significant workload. He said that he would gain clarity moving forward and focus more energy on his game and personal growth after his resignation.
"I'm sharing some news with you today. I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men's cricket team, effective as of my notification to the PCB and Team Management last month. It's been an honour to lead this team, but it's time for me to step down and focus on my playing role," Babar Azam wrote.
"Captaincy has been a rewarding experience, but it's added a significant workload. I want to prioritize my performance, enjoy my batting, and spend quality time with my family, which brings me joy. By stepping down, I will gain clarity moving forward and focus more energy on my game and personal growth," he added.
Dear Fans,
— Babar Azam (@babarazam258) October 1, 2024
I'm sharing some news with you today. I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men's cricket team, effective as of my notification to the PCB and Team Management last month.
It's been an honour to lead this team, but it's time for me to step down and focus…
Pakistan To Face Australia In Next White Ball Assignment
Pakistan's next whiteball assignment is against Australia in November. They will play against Zimbabwe and South Africa in limited-overs cricket over the next six months. Notably, Pakistan has not played an ODI match since the ODI World Cup 2023.
Pakistan will play a tri-series with New Zealand and South Africa before the Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to be played in February and March next year. The Men in Green will enter the Champions Trophy as defending champions, having won in 2017.
