Babar Azam Regains Pakistan’s White-Ball Captaincy

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s batting star Babar Azam has been reinstated as captain of the national team for One Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).

This decision follows a unanimous recommendation by the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) selection committee.

Babar’s return to leadership signifies a shift after Shaheen Shah Afridi’s short stint as T20I captain.

Shaheen’s tenure faced challenges, including Pakistan’s 1-4 series loss to New Zealand and the Lahore Qalandars’ failure to qualify for the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL) playoffs under his captaincy.

Babar will immediately take charge for Pakistan’s upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand, scheduled from April 18th to 27th across Lahore and Rawalpindi.

Reports suggest Shaheen Shah Afridi may have been contemplating relinquishing the captaincy himself. He was reportedly disappointed by the lack of communication regarding his future as skipper, with neither PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi nor the selectors reaching out to him.

This development comes after Babar stepped down from captaincy last year following Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the ODI World Cup.

Despite initial victories against Netherlands and Sri Lanka, the team failed to qualify for the semi-finals, leading to criticism of Babar’s leadership. Additionally, his batting form dipped, with no centuries scored throughout the tournament.

Following the World Cup, Babar announced his resignation from captaincy across all formats on social media. While he now resumes leadership in white-ball cricket, Shan Masood remains the Test captain.

Babar boasts a successful record as T20I captain, having secured victories in 42 out of 71 matches. His return to the helm signifies the PCB’s renewed confidence in his leadership abilities.