Babar Azam Resigns as Pakistan Captain Amid Team Selection Talks with Mohammad Rizwan
According to the sources, relevant PCB officials have been asked to hold consultations with Mohammad Rizwan for team selection.
Babar announced his decision on Tuesday night through social media, citing heavy workload and his intention to focus more on batting.
“Dear Fans, I’m sharing some news with you today. I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men’s cricket team, effective as of my notification to the PCB and Team Management last month,” stated Babar Azam in a statement on his social media platforms.
“It’s been an honor to lead this team, but it’s time for me to step down and focus on my playing role,” he added.
However, the sources revealed that more factors are involved in Babar’s decision rather than his desire to focus on his individual performance.
According to sources, Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten wanted Babar Azam to continue as the captain of the ODI team. However, he was keen on replacing Babar as captain in T20I format.
The sources further revealed that Gary submitted his report after Pakistan’s disastrous ICC T20 World Cup 2024 campaign in July and discussed his plans for a potential captaincy change with Babar.
However, Babar decided to quit as captain from both formats and informed a top official in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) before announcing his resignation.
