PCB Set To Sack Babar Azam As White-Ball Captain, Local Coaches Likely To Replace Overseas Coaches: Report

Babar Azam is reportedly set to lose the captaincy of Pakistan’s white-ball teams after the disappointing campaign in the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.

Pakistan’s disappointing campaign in the 13th edition of the ODI World Cup came to an end on Saturday (November 11) with a defeat against England. Their slim chances of progressing to the semifinals all but ended after England opted to bat first. The fifties from Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, and Ben Stokes guided England to 337 for 9. In reply, Pakistan were all out for 244 to suffer their fifth defeat in the competition.

Pakistan began their campaign with wins over the Netherlands and Sri Lanka before four losses in a row all but ended their chances of making it to the semifinal. They did win two more games but never really had a realistic chance of progressing to the semifinal. The latest failure has only extended Pakistan’s long wait to qualify for the semifinals of an ODI World Cup, a feat they have not achieved since 2011.

Babar Azam’s captaincy in danger?

In the wake of Pakistan’s disastrous campaign in the World Cup, Babar Azam is in danger of losing the captaincy. According to a report in Cricket Pakistan, not only the captain but the rest of the team management, which includes head coach, Grant Bradburn and the team director, Mickey Arthur are also in danger of losing the posts.

There were discussions about it within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) even before the game against England. The chances of Babar Azam retaining the captaincy of the white-ball teams are very slim. On the other hand, some quarters have urged PCB chief Zaka Ashraf to show faith in the star batter for Test captaincy for the upcoming tour of Australia.

The PCB is likely to take a final call on the matter soon. A few reports have also suggested that Babar Azam may himself consider stepping down as the captain. A recent report stated that he talked with former PCB chief Ramiz Raja at the Eden Gardens earlier this week to seek his advice on the matter. Talking about the coaches, the PCB is contemplating a shift towards appointing local coaches instead of relying on foreign ones.