‘Still has much to offer’: PCB accepts Babar Azam’s resignation

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday accepted batsman Babar Azam’s resignation as the white-ball cricket captain and said he still had much to offer to the team.

Babar announced his intention to step down in a late-night tweet on Tuesday. He said it was time for him to focus on his role as a player, adding that captaincy had added a lot of workload on him.

He was first made the T20 captain in 2019, before taking charge of the Test and ODI teams in 2020. Babar stepped down from the post in November last year, after Pakistan’s dismal showing in the Asia Cup and the 50-over World Cup. Shaheen Shah Afridi had replaced him as the T20 captain and Shan Masood had assumed the role as the team’s Test skipper.

Babar had returned to the captaincy of the men’s cricket team in March after the PCB announced that he would lead the Green Shirts in ODIs and T20s as part of a “strategic move”. The Babar-led team crashed out of the T20 World Cup in the US and West Indies in the first round earlier this year.

In a press release issued today, the PCB said that although it had backed Babar as the white-ball captain, his decision to step down “reflects his desire to focus more on making a greater impact as a player”.

It added that his decision was a “testament to his professionalism and commitment to Pakistan cricket. He believes that dedicating himself fully to his batting will enable him to play a more decisive role in the team’s success in the shorter formats.

“The PCB acknowledges Babar’s contributions as white-ball captain, his ability to prioritise the team’s needs and his unwavering dedication to Pakistan cricket. The PCB will continue to support Babar Azam, recognising he still has much to offer both as a world-class batter and a senior statesman of the team.”

The PCB said it had tasked the national selection committee with beginning the process of formulating future white-ball cricket strategies, including recommending a new captain.

Meanwhile, Babar said that playing for the country had always been his “greatest honour”.

He added: “I’ve always placed the team’s success above everything else. Stepping down as captain will help me deliver even more for the team as a player and I’m fully committed to that path. The team’s success is what matters most.

“I’ve had the privilege of leading Pakistan for five remarkable years, always trying to give my best as both captain and player. At this stage, I strongly believe I can make a bigger impact by concentrating on my batting. I am grateful for the constant support from my teammates, coaches and the PCB throughout my captaincy.

“While it has been a great honour to lead Pakistan, now is the right time to shift my complete focus on batting, team’s objectives during this transitional phase and back the new captain and emerging players as we prepare for a crucial season ahead, including the defence of the ICC Champions Trophy on home soil next year.”

The shake-up comes after a string of dismal performances given by the national teams in Tests as well as limited-over formats. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said last month the decisions regarding beleaguered captains Babar and Shan would be made through consultations featuring major stakeholders later this month.

Babar and red-ball skipper Shan came under immense criticism for Pakistan’s distressing shows in international cricket over the past year or so.

The harrowing set of disasters resulted in growing calls from all quarters concerned for a serious review of the team composition, as well as the captains both of whom have been found wanting on several crucial stages.

According to some unconfirmed reports that emerged, Babar and Shan were set to be sacked ahead of Pakistan’s next international assignment. Wicket-keeper/batter Mohammad Rizwan was reportedly being considered for captaincy in all the formats.

Shan will continue to lead Pakistan in the upcoming series against England, despite losing his first five Tests as captain.