LAHORE: 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, according to a report published on Friday by Geo News, citing sources.
The sources 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 management 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 informed PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi of this decision.
Shaheen was considering resigning as T20I captain in the meanwhile in light of the events. Sources close to the pacer, however, have urged him against it since 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.
Babar was previously named Test captain in 2020 and White-ball captain in 2019, but the Green Shirts have not won any ICC or Asia Cup titles under his leadership.
