Babar Azam steps down as Captain of Pakistan Cricket Team, heres more

Babar Azam steps down as Captain of Pakistan Cricket Team, heres more

Durgesh Dubey
02 Oct, 2024

Babar Azam

The captaincy landscape in Pakistan cricket is set to shift again as Babar Azam, the team’s batting cornerstone, has announced his resignation from the limited-overs captaincy.

At 29, Babar was removed from his position as the white-ball captain following Pakistan's disappointing performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup. However, just three months later, in March 2024, he was reinstated to lead the team once more.

Unfortunately, his second tenure began with turmoil as Pakistan failed to progress beyond the group stages of the T20 World Cup, suffering a particularly low blow with a loss to the USA. A subsequent defeat to arch-rivals India, despite being in a favorable position, further fueled criticism. This latest development comes as no surprise given the recent trends in Pakistani cricket, where the Test team faced an unprecedented defeat to Bangladesh, and the national morale remains low.

Babar announced his resignation on the social media platform X, expressing the need to concentrate on his batting performance. His recent season has been underwhelming, with both his statistics and impact falling short of his usual standards.

"Dear Fans, I’m sharing some news today. I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men's cricket team, effective from my notification to the PCB and Team Management last month," Babar stated.

"It has been an honor to lead this team, but I feel it’s time to step down and focus on my playing role. Captaincy has been a rewarding experience, yet it has significantly increased my workload. I want to prioritize my performance, enjoy my batting, and spend quality time with my family, which brings me joy."

"By stepping down, I will gain clarity moving forward and direct more energy towards my game and personal growth. I am grateful for your unwavering support and belief in me. Your enthusiasm means the world to me. I’m proud of what we've achieved together and look forward to contributing to the team as a player. Thank you for your love and support."

Looking ahead, Pakistan’s white-ball fixtures include tours of Australia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa over the next six months. After Babar’s previous tenure ended, Shaheen Afridi stepped in as the T20I captain but was later dismissed from the role, sparking debates over who will take over the leadership in limited-overs cricket. Notably, Pakistan has not played an ODI since the 2023 World Cup.

Babar Azam’s decision to resign from the white-ball captaincy for the second time in under a year has drawn mixed reactions. While some fans have praised his choice to prioritize his performance, others criticized him for not securing an ICC trophy during his captaincy and mocked him for resigning twice in quick succession.

In the past year and a half, Babar’s leadership has faced challenges. Pakistan was eliminated in the group stages of both the ODI and T20 World Cups, and his individual performance has suffered across all formats. Despite leading Pakistan to the semi-finals in the 2021 T20 World Cup and finishing as runners-up in 2022, the team has experienced a downward spiral since that second-place finish.

Babar Azam's resignation marks a pivotal moment for Pakistan cricket amid a backdrop of inconsistent performances. His decision, coupled with a series of disappointing outcomes in major tournaments, has raised questions about the future leadership dynamics within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The PCB briefly entrusted the T20 captaincy to Shaheen Afridi after Babar's initial resignation, but Babar was reinstated just months before the T20 World Cup 2024, indicating their hope that his experience would help guide the team to a successful campaign.