Babar Azam Reinstated as Pakistan’s White-Ball Cricket Captain

Lahore, The Gulf Observer: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the reinstatement of Babar Azam as the captain for white-ball cricket, as confirmed by Cricket Pakistan on March 27.

Following a unanimous recommendation from the PCB’s selection committee, Babar Azam has been chosen to lead Pakistan in the upcoming Men’s T20 World Cup, marking a significant development in the national cricket team’s leadership structure.

The decision was officially communicated by the PCB on social media, confirming the directive of Chairman Mohsin Naqvi to appoint Babar Azam as the skipper for both the One Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) formats.

“Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi has appointed Babar Azam as the white-ball (ODI and T20I) captain of the Pakistan men’s cricket team,” the PCB announced via social media platforms.

Babar Azam had previously stepped down from his captaincy across all formats following Pakistan’s underwhelming performance in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup held in India last year, where the team failed to progress to the knockout stages.

Subsequently, Shaheen Shah Afridi assumed the T20I captaincy, while Shan Masood was entrusted with leadership responsibilities for red-ball cricket.

Shaheen Shah Afridi’s stint as T20I captain, however, faced scrutiny after Pakistan experienced a lackluster series in New Zealand and Lahore Qalandars, the franchise he led, finished at the bottom of the table in the recent edition of the Pakistan Super League, as reported by Cricket Pakistan on March 12.

With Babar’s reinstatement, his immediate task as captain will be to lead Pakistan in the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand at home, commencing from April 18.

The PCB’s decision underscores a strategic shift aimed at revitalizing Pakistan’s white-ball cricket, with Babar Azam poised to lead the team towards renewed success and glory on the international stage.