In a surprising turn of events, Babar Azam dropped a captaincy bombshell following Pakistan’s early exit from the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 in India on Wednesday.
Babar took to Twitter to officially announce his resignation from the captaincy position.
“I vividly remember the moment when I received the call from PCB to lead Pakistan in 2019. Over the past four years, I’ve experienced many highs and lows on and off the field, but I wholeheartedly and passionately aimed to maintain Pakistan’s pride and respect in the cricket world,” wrote Babar in his resignation post.
He added: “Reaching the number 1 spot in the white-ball format was a result of the collective efforts of players, coaches, and management but I’d like to express my gratitude to passionate Pakistan cricket fans for their unwavering support during this journey. Today, I am stepping down as the captain of Pakistan in all formats. It’s a difficult decision but I feel it is a right time for this call.
“I will continue to represent Pakistan as a player in all three formats. I am here to support the new captain and the team with my experience and dedication. I want to express my sincere thanks to the Pakistan Cricket Board for entrusting me with this significant responsibility. PAKISTAN ZINDABAD.”
— Babar Azam (@babarazam258) November 15, 2023
Following Babar’s announcement, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) swiftly revealed that fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi would take over as the T20I captain for the Green Army, while left-handed batter Shan Masood will lead the Test team.
The PCB made the official announcement on social media, stating, “Presenting our captains @shani_official has been appointed Test captain while @iShaheenAfridi will lead the T20I side.”
Presenting our captains 🇵🇰@shani_official has been appointed Test captain while @iShaheenAfridi will lead the T20I side. pic.twitter.com/wPSebUB60m
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) November 15, 2023
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