Pakistan’s captaincy scenario made headlines once again with batting mainstay Babar Azam stepping down from limited-overs captaincy. The talented batter was removed as Pakistan’s white-ball captain after the team’s poor campaign at the 2023 ODI World Cup. However, after a period of just three months, he was reappointed for the post in March 2024.

However, his second stint didn’t go well as Pakistan crashed out of the T20 World Cup in the group stages with the defeat to the USA as well. Moreover, the loss to arch-rivals India, after being in a good position, also made headlines. However, Babar Azam took to the social networking site ‘X’ to share the news publicly and felt that it was time for him to give the entire focus on his batting as well.

“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.,” Babar wrote. “It’s been an honour to lead this team, but it’s time for me to step down and focus on my playing role. Captaincy has been a rewarding experience, but it’s added a significant workload. I want to prioritise 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 focus more energy on my game and personal growth. I’m grateful for your unwavering support and belief in me. Your enthusiasm has meant the world to me. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together and excited to continue contributing to the team as a player. Thank you for your love and support,” he again shared.

However, Pakistan’s immediate white-ball assignments include the tours of Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa as well that too in the next six months. Shaheen Afridi replaced Babar Azam as the T20I captain after his previous stint ended but the veteran left-arm speedster was also unceremoniously removed from captaincy too.