Courtesy: X
After Babar Azam resigned from Pakistan captaincy in the white-ball formats, former cricketer Rashid Latif spoke to the media about how “Pakistan cricket is the ICU with no specialist for treatment”. The 55-year-old remarked that Babar Azam shouldn’t have accepted captaincy again after being removed from it last year following the ODI World Cup tour to India before stating that his resignation has come very late, costing him and the Pakistan cricket team badly.
Notably, after Pakistan’s forgettable ODI World Cup 2023 campaign, Babar Azam was sacked as the captain of the national team, but just three months later, he was appointed as the skipper in the limited-overs cricket at the start of 2024. In the last few months of his white-ball captaincy, Pakistan were ousted from the T20 World Cup in the first round after losing to the United States of America (USA), for the first-time in their cricket history.
Babar Azam should not have accepted captaincy again: Rashid Latif
Rashid Latif was quite displeased about the current situation in the Pakistan cricket team, calling it a leadership crisis before stating, as per Times of India, “Pakistan cricket is in the ICU with no specialist for treatment. He (Babar Azam) should not have accepted captaincy again. Neither the team was performing nor was he scoring big. This resignation has come very late and that has not only cost him badly, but also the team.”
In his statement to inform everyone about his resignation from captaincy of the Pakistan cricket team on the social media platform X, Babar Azam said, “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.”
“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. 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. Thank you for your love and support,” Babar Azam concluded .
