‘Time to step down’: Babar Azam resigns as Pakistan captain

Batsman Babar Azam on Tuesday announced that he has decided to resign as the captain of the Pakistan cricket team.

In a post on X, Babar said: “I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men’s cricket team, effective as of my notification to the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) and Team Management last month.

“It’s been an honour to lead this team, but it’s time for me to step down and focus on my playing role.”

He said captaincy had been a “rewarding experience” but it added a “significant workload” on him.

“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,” he said.

Azam added that he was grateful for the unwavering support and belief in him.

“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.”

Babar had returned to the captaincy of the men’s cricket team in March after the PCB announced that he would lead the Green Shirts in ODIs and T20s as part of a “strategic move”.

Babar was first made the T20 captain in 2019, before taking charge of the Test and ODI teams in 2020.

Babar stepped down from the post in November last year, after Pakistan’s dismal show in the Asia Cup and the 50-over World Cup. Shaheen Shah Afridi had replaced him as the T20 captain and Shan Masood had assumed the role as the team’s Test skipper.

Sources close to the situation had told Dawn that Babar had conveyed some tough conditions to the PCB for taking up the mantle again. Sources had said Babar had sought supreme authority as captain and wanted the hot seat for two years, at least. Moreover, the right-hander had demanded of the PCB not to make him accountable for the Pakistan team’s performance in the T20 World Cup.

He recently dropped out of the top 10 of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) ranking for Test batsmen after nearly five years.

The former skipper, who has suffered a rare rough patch in the format, is currently number 11 in the ranking.

The batter broke into the top 10 in December 2019 after he scored an unbeaten 102 in a drawn Test against Sri Lanka.

During this time, the former skipper dropped to the 10th position in the ranking twice — once in 2021 after he failed to score more than two runs against Zimbabwe and the other after the first Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi last month.

The highest spot Babar held during this period was the second position during England’s visit to Pakistan in 2022 — a series the visitors won via a whitewash.

Amid a string of dismal performances given by the national teams in Tests as well as limited-over formats, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said last month the decisions regarding beleaguered captains Babar and Shan would be made through consultations featuring major stakeholders later this month.

White-ball captain Babar and red-ball skipper Shan came under immense criticism for Pakistan’s distressing shows in international cricket over the past year or so. A Babar-led team crashed out of the T20 World Cup in the US and West Indies in the first round earlier this year. In the five-day format, the Shan-skippered Pakistan following their 3-0 whitewash Down Under suffered an extremely embarrassing-cum-stunning 2-0 sweep on home soil at the hands of Bangladesh.

This harrowing set of disasters resulted in growing calls from all quarters concerned for a serious review of the team composition, as well as the captains both of whom have been found wanting on several crucial stages.

According to some unconfirmed reports that emerged, Babar and Shan were set to be sacked ahead of Pakistan’s next international assignment. Wicket-keeper/batter Mohammad Rizwan was reportedly being considered for captaincy in all the formats.

Shan will continue to lead Pakistan in the upcoming series against England, despite losing his first five Tests as captain.