In a surprising move, star cricketer Babar Azam announced his decision to step down as captain of Pakistan’s white-ball teams. On Wednesday, Babar shared on social media that he had informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the team management of his resignation from the ODI and T20I captaincy in September.
Babar Azam mentioned that leading the team had become a heavy responsibility, and by stepping down as captain, he could focus more on his batting and contribute better to the team. His decision came soon after he dropped out of the top 10 in the International Cricket Council Test rankings, as Babar has been experiencing a rare dip in form in international cricket.
While posting on X, Babar Azam said, “Dear Fans, I am 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.”
This is the second time in less than a year that Babar Azam has stepped down from the captaincy of Pakistan’s senior men’s cricket team. He resigned as captain in all three formats following Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the ODI World Cup held in India during November last month.
Earlier this year, Babar Azam was reappointed as captain following a leadership change in the PCB. Shaheen Afridi, who had taken over from Babar as T20I captain, was relieved after leading the team in just one T20I series in New Zealand.
