The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed Shan Masood ashttp://Shan Masood as the team’s Test captain, while Shaheen Afridi will lead the team’s Test captain, while Shaheen Afridi will lead the national team in the Twenty20 competition.
This information comes after Babar Azam declared on Wednesday that he would be stepping down as the national team’s captain in all formats. This declaration was made following a terrible World Cup campaign.
Thirty-four-year-old Shan has played in thirty Test matches and scored 1,597 runs, including seven half-centuries and four hundreds.
Shan will lead the team as captain to the end of the ICC World Test Championship in 2023–2025. Leading Australia in a three-match Test series that starts in Australia on December 14 will be Shan’s first assignment as captain.
In Twenty20 Internationals, left-arm bowler Shaheen Shah will lead the Pakistan Men’s Team. Leading the team in a five-match Twenty20 International series in New Zealand from January 12 to January 21 will be his first duty as captain. Shaheen, 23, has taken 64 wickets in 52 Twenty20 internationals.
In the PSL, Shaheen has also led Lahore Qalandars, helping the team win the competition twice in as many years, in the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
After Pakistan underperformed at the Asia Cup and carried that form into the World Cup, where they were eliminated before making it to the semifinals, the former captain faced criticism for several months.
“I am leaving my position as Pakistan’s captain in all forms today. Though it’s a tough choice, I think now is the proper moment for this call,” Babar stated in a message posted on X, the old Twitter platform.
Babar revealed the important information soon after he met at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore with Zaka Ashraf, the head of the PCB Management Committee. Sources who talked with Geo News said that Babar was given the chance to continue captaining the team during Test matches, but he turned it down.
Following the meeting, the PCB chief and Babar held a “cordial meeting” to address a number of topics, including the World Cup performance, according to an official statement.
The press release continued: “Babar was asked to continue as Test captain, but he has been relieved of captaincy in white-ball cricket so that he can concentrate on one format.”
After consulting with his family, Babar decided to step down, and the PCB said it was the right decision.
“PCB respects his choice and will always be a player for him.”
The cricket board wants Babar to keep being a top player, according to Ashraf, who called Babar a genuinely world-class talent in the statement.
“He is among Pakistan’s greatest batters ever.” We will always be there for him since he is a resource for us. His striking prowess is evidence of his ability and passion. He is an inspiration to the present generation.
“We want to see him develop into a great hitter, and now that he doesn’t have to worry about leading the team, he can concentrate more on improving his performances and hitting even higher notes. We honour his choice and will support him going forward,” the statement continued.
Babar has played in 49 Test matches and scored 3,772 runs, 26 half-centuries, and nine hundreds.
The PCB has since modified the coaching staff’s mandate, including Director Cricket Mickey Arthur.
The PCB stated that all coaches would stay on staff at the National Cricket Academy and that they would announce the new coaching staff for the forthcoming series in Australia and New Zealand at a later date.
