New Delhi: In what came as a shock to many, Babar Azam announced on Wednesday that he was stepping down as the captain of Pakistan in white-ball cricket with immediate effect. Babar confirmed his resignation from the ODI and T20I captaincy of the Pakistan cricket team in a social media post while revealing the reason behind his decision.
This is the second time in less than an year that Babar has relinquished Pakistan’s captaincy. He had stepped down as Pakistan’s captain across all three formats after the Men in Green’s abysmal show in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India last year where they failed to qualify for the semi-finals. However, the star batter was reinstated as the white-ball captain earlier this year.
Babar’s decision to leave captaincy comes after a ‘strategic connection camp’ organised by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) last month to chart the future plans for Pakistan cricket. The workshop was attended by several senior players, including Babar and Mohammad Rizwan. Pakistan’s coaches Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie were also part of the workshop.
“Dear Fans, I am 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,” Babar said in a post on X.
Shaheen Shah Afridi had replaced Babar as Pakistan’s captain in T20Is following the star batter’s removal post the ODI World Cup last year. However, the pacer was sacked after only one series in charge as Babar was reinstated in the top post for the T20 World Cup 2024. However, the decision backfired as Pakistan once again produced an abysmal show in the tournament which was won by India.
There was tremendous pressure on Babar amid scrutiny of his leadership after Pakistan’s ouster from the T20 World Cup 2024 where they suffered a shock defeat against USA in the group stages. However, the star batter refused to quit in the immediate aftermath of the showpiece event in the US and the Caribbean.
Babar Azam reveals reason behind quitting captaincy
In his post, Babar revealed the reason behind his big decision to relinquish Pakistan’s captaincy. The star batter said captaincy added a ‘significant workload’ and leaving the leadership role will allow him to channel his energy on improving as a batter. He also cited the lack of family time as one of the reasons behind his decision to quit captaincy.
“It’s been an honour to lead this team, but it’s time for me to step down and focus on my playing role. Captaincy has been a rewarding experience, but it’s added a significant workload. I want to prioritise my performance, enjoy my batting, and spend quality time with my family, which brings me joy,” Babar said in his statement.
“By stepping down, I will gain clarity moving forward and focus more energy on my game and personal growth,” he added.
Dear Fans,
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…
— Babar Azam (@babarazam258) October 1, 2024
Pakistan are yet to play an ODI or a T20I following their exit from the T20 World Cup 2024 but Babar was far from his best in the two-match Test series against Bangladesh at home in August this year. The star batter struggled for consistency and was criticised for failing to score big as Pakistan suffered a shock 2-0 series defeat against the visitors.
After Pakistan’s shock series defeat, Test captain Shan Massod, who had replaced Babar as captain in the longest format last year, also came under the scanner and was slammed for his poor leadership. There have also been calls for Masood to be removed as captain after Pakistan’s embarrassing series defeat against Bangladesh at home.
Babar Azam on Wednesday announced his decision to step down as Pakistan’s captain in ODIs and T20Is with immediate effect. The star batter also revealed the reason behind his bold decision. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
