Picture Credit: X
Pakistan cricketer, Babar Azam early on Wednesday, October 2, stepped down from white-ball captaincy. The decision from the top-order batter came as a shocking move as he did not have a successful stint in his second tenure at the helm with the Pakistan cricket team. It is to be noted that Babar Azam was earlier Pakistan’s all-format skipper and stepped down from the role after the team’s dismal performance at the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.
Shaheen Shah Afridi succeeded him at the helm as Pakistan’s white-ball captain, while Shan Masood took over the reigns in the longest format of the game. However, months later, Afridi was replaced by Babar Azam earlier this year, and did not taste much success as the team bowed out of the T20 World Cup 2024 group stage in the USA and West Indies.
It’s time to focus on my playing role: Babar Azam
The 29-year-old who failed to win a single ICC trophy for the Men in Green, took to X to share a post and announce his resignation as captain of the Pakistan cricket team. "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,” his post read.
"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 prioritize my performance, enjoy my batting, and spend quality time with my family, which brings me joy,” he further added, clarifying that captaincy added to his workload.
While the Lahore-born cricketer however clarified that he wishes to focus on his playing role, in order to “gain clarity moving forward”. “By stepping down, I will gain clarity moving forward and focus more energy on my game and personal growth. I'm grateful for your unwavering support and belief in me,” he continued.
Towards the end, the right-handed batter extended his gratitude for tremendous support as he concluded, “Your enthusiasm has meant the world to me. I'm proud of what we've achieved together and excited to continue contributing to the team as a player.”
Speaking of Babar Azam’s numbers as Pakistan’s captain, he has had his moments across all three formats. Highlighting it, Babar Azam’s first stint as captain included multi-format series win over South Africa, an ODI series win against Australia and leading the side to the semi-final and final of two successive T20 World Cups. Whereas the numbers and results weren’t the same during his second stint where Pakistan won just six of 13 T20Is.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will look for a new leader as the Men in Green next take on Australia for a three-match T20I series and as many ODIs next month.
