Babar Azam has announced his resignation as Pakistan’s white-ball cricket captain for the second time in 11 months. Babar cited the need to reduce his workload and focus on improving his game as the reasons for stepping down. His second stint as captain saw Pakistan lose seven matches and a decline in his own batting form. Babar initially resigned from all three formats last year after Pakistan’s World Cup disappointment, before returning as white-ball skipper earlier this year.
Under Babar’s captaincy, Pakistan won only six out of 13 T20 matches, with his team failing to advance past the group stage in the T20 World Cup. Despite leading Pakistan briefly in the T20 format, Shaheen Shah Afridi was removed from the captaincy after a series loss to New Zealand. Babar has also struggled with his own batting form and has not scored an international fifty in his last 10 innings.
Test captain Shan Masood has expressed confidence in Babar’s abilities and believes he will perform well in Pakistan’s upcoming Test series against England. The PCB is expected to name a new captain after the Test series, with Pakistan facing Australia in ODI and T20 matches next month. Babar’s decision to step down as captain reflects his desire to prioritize his performance, enjoy his batting, and spend more time with his family.
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