Shan Masood appointed Test and Shaheen Shah Afridi T20I captain,
PCB respects Babar decision and continues to support him as a player.
Lahore(Tahir Chuhdary) Babar Azam Wednesday announced stepping down as the skipper of the national side from all formats, ending his years-long stint in the leading position, following a humiliating World Cup campaign.
The now-former skipper was under fire for several months after Pakistan failed to perform in the Asia Cup and continued the same momentum into the World Cup — where they crashed out before reaching the semis.
“Today, I am stepping down as the captain of Pakistan in all formats. It’s a difficult decision but I feel it is [the] right time for this call,” Babar said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.
“I will continue to represent Pakistan as a player in all three formats. I am here to support the new captain and the team with my experience and dedication,” he noted.
Babar made the major announcement just moments after he met Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee Chairman Zaka Ashraf at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, where,
PCB Chairman Management Committee Zaka Ashraf and Babar Azam met at the PCB headquarters in Lahore today and had a cordial meeting to discuss various aspects and the World Cup performance. Babar was asked to continue as Test captain, while he has been relieved of captaincy in white-ball cricket for him to focus on one format.
After consultation with his family, Babar decided to step down and PCB stands behind his decision.
PCB respects his decision and continues to support him as a player.
Chairman PCB Management Committee Zaka Ashraf: “Babar Azam is truly a world-class player and we want him to continue to thrive as a player. He is one of the best batters Pakistan has ever produced. He is our asset, and we will continue to support him. His batting prowess is a testament to his dedication and skill. He is a role model for the present generation.
“We want to see him grow as a great batter and now without his additional burden of the captaincy, he can focus more on his performances to reach even greater heights. We respect his decision and will continue to back him.”
Babar has featured in 49 Tests and scored 3,772 runs which includes nine centuries and 26 half-centuries.
Recalling the first time he was appointed as captain for the white-ball format, Babar said he “vividly” remembers the moment when he got a call from the PCB to lead the national side.
“Over the past four years, I’ve experienced many highs and lows on and off the field, but I wholeheartedly and passionately aimed to maintain Pakistan’s pride and respect in the cricket world,” Babar said.
Babar, despite being just 29 years old, has had an illustrious career, and he remained the top-ranked ODI batter for more than two years. The ex-skipper was the only batter to achieve the top three positions across all formats.
More From Daily The Destination: Babar requests fans for prayers, best wishes
The batter said reaching the number 1 spot in the white-ball format was a result of the collective efforts of players, coaches, and management.
“But I’d like to express my gratitude to passionate Pakistan cricket fans for their unwavering support during this journey,” he said in the statement.
The skipper also expressed his “sincere thanks” to the cricket board for entrusting him with this significant responsibility.
Update on team coaching staff:
The PCB has changed the portfolio of the entire coaching staff including Director Cricket Mickey Arthur. All coaches will continue to work in National Cricket Academy while PCB will announce the new coaching staff in due course for the upcoming series in Australia and New Zealand.
Meanwhile,
The PCB has appointed Shan Masood as the Test captain of Pakistan Men’s Cricket Team, while Shaheen Shah Afridi has been named T20I captain.
34-year-old Shan has featured in 30 Tests, scoring 1,597 runs, which includes four centuries and seven half-centuries.
Shan has been appointed captain till the end of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25. Shan’s first assignment as captain will be a three-match Test series against Australia in Australia starting from 14 December.
Meanwhile, left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah will lead Pakistan Men’s Team in the T20I format and his first assignment as captain will be the five-match T20I series in New Zealand from 12 to 21 January. 23-year-old Shaheen has bagged 64 wickets in 52 T20Is. Shaheen has also captained Lahore Qalandars in HBL PSL and has helped the side win the tournament twice in two years in the 2022 and 2023 editions.
Shan and Shaheen were appointed captains after Babar Azam today stepped down from all three formats of the game. Pakistan’s captain in the ODI format will be announced in due course.
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