Following the proposal of the newly-formed selection committee to replace the captain, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has chosen to reassign Babar Azam as the Twenty20 captain,
The reports claim that Babar might take up the role in the forthcoming five-match T20 series against New Zealand.
Shaheen Shah Afridi was named white-ball captain by the PCB under Zaka Ashraf after the team’s crushing defeat at the 2023 ICC World Cup. The previous administration assigned Shan Masood as the red-ball captain.
According to the sources, Babar Azam, 29, will lead the T20 cricket team and take part in the Kakul training camp. The selection committee unanimously notified PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi of this decision.
Shaheen was considering resigning as T20I captain in the meantime, in light of the events. Sources close to the pacer, however, have urged him against it as the cricket body has the authority to choose the captain, and he should follow the PCB’s decision.
After a humiliating World Cup campaign, Babar announced his resignation as the national team’s captain in November of last year, capping his years-long tenure in the top spot.
After Pakistan underperformed at the Asia Cup and carried over that momentum into the World Cup, where they were eliminated before making it to the semifinals, the former captain faced criticism for several months.
Although Babar was named Test and white-ball captain in 2020 and 2019, respectively, the Green Shirts have neither won an Asia Cup nor an ICC championship while he has been in charge.
