The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made a significant decision ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 by reinstating Babar Azam as the captain for white-ball cricket, including both One Day Internationals (ODIs) and T20 Internationals (T20Is). This announcement comes just months before the highly anticipated tournament.
Babar Azam, a star batter known for his consistency and elegance at the crease, has been entrusted with the leadership role once again following a period of evaluation and deliberation by the PCB’s selection committee. Their unanimous recommendation endorsed Azam’s capabilities to helm the team in the white-ball formats.
The PCB officially confirmed this decision via their social media platforms, citing Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi’s appointment of Babar Azam as the captain for white-ball cricket for the Pakistan men’s cricket team.
This move follows Azam’s voluntary stepping down from the leadership position after Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the previous ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup held in India. The team’s inability to progress to the knockout stages despite securing four victories in nine matches prompted Azam to relinquish his captaincy role temporarily.
During Azam’s hiatus from captaincy duties, Shaheen Shah Afridi assumed the role of leading Pakistan in T20 Internationals, while Shan Masood took over the captaincy for One Day Internationals after Pakistan’s campaign in the ODI World Cup concluded in November the preceding year.
With the T20 World Cup looming on the horizon, the PCB’s decision to reinstate Babar Azam as the captain underscores their confidence in his leadership abilities and his prowess as a player. As Pakistan gears up for the global cricketing event, Azam’s leadership will be pivotal in steering the team towards success on the international stage.
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Shaheen Shah Afridi’s elevation to the T20 International (T20I) captaincy was a result of his stellar performances in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), where he led the Lahore Qalandars to back-to-back title triumphs in the years 2022 and 2023. His consistent displays of leadership and cricketing prowess earned him the trust of the selectors.
However, Afridi’s debut as captain during Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand for a five-match T20I series didn’t yield the desired results, with the team managing to secure victory in only one game under his leadership.