Babar Azam resigns from Pakistan white ball captaincy
Pakistan batter Babar Azam has resigned as the team's white-ball captain. The 29-year-old was appointed just before Pakistan toured the USA and West Indies for the T20 World Cup, where the team struggled, failing to qualify for the Super 8 stage and even losing a match to the USA.
“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.” Babar mentioned in his Twitter post.
This is the second occasion within a year that Babar has resigned from the Pakistan captaincy. Following the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, he stepped down from his leadership role across all formats. Shan Masood was named the Test captain, while Shaheen Afridi assumed the white-ball captaincy. Afridi's time in charge was brief and Babar was reinstated as the white-ball captain by the end of March 2024. Now, just six months later, he has resigned from the role again.
Babar will conclude his tenure having secured 48 victories in 85 matches while leading Pakistan. In One Day Internationals (ODIs), under Babar's leadership, the team achieved 26 wins out of 43 games. After his reappointment as captain of Pakistan's white-ball teams, Babar led the side in four T20 series. The results included a 2-2 draw against New Zealand's second-string team in a five-match series at home, a 2-1 victory over Ireland, and a 2-0 defeat against England in a four-match series. Most notably, Pakistan failed to advance to the Super Eight stage of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, losing to India and the USA in the group phase.
Babar first assumed the T20 captaincy in 2019 and later took on the roles of Test and ODI captain in 2020. His resignation exacerbates the challenges facing Pakistan as they prepare for three away series after hosting England for a Test series beginning on October 7.
In November, Pakistan will tour Australia for three ODIs and three T20Is, followed by a visit to Zimbabwe for a similar series later that month. In December, they will travel to South Africa for three T20Is, three ODIs, and two Tests, before returning home for a series against the West Indies and New Zealand. Additionally, Pakistan is scheduled to host the Champions Trophy early next year.
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