Star batter and former captain Babar Azam is allegedly being considered for leadership again. Babar, who returned from Umrah, may meet PCB officials before departing for Abbottabad training camp in Kakul, they said.
Will Babar Azam be captain of Pakistan Cricket Team again?
According to insiders close to the great batter, the former skipper hasn’t decided whether to accept the captaincy offer and would “take up” various concerns if granted the vital role. After PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi indicated last week at a news conference that the seven-member selection committee will choose the captain, the rumors began.
“Shaheen Shah Afridi will remain the captain or there would be a new skipper, this decision will be taken after deliberations,” the PCB boss stated.
The development comes after the national team’s poor performance in the 2023 Asia Cup and ODI World Cup led to Babar’s resignation as captain in all three formats.
“I am resigning as Pakistan’s captain in all forms today. It’s a tough call, but I think now is the right time “Babar remarked on X, formerly Twitter.
After his resignation, the board appointed Shan Masood as Test captain and Shaheen as T20 captain, leaving the ODI captain position unfilled until today. It was stated earlier this month that left-arm bowler Shaheen was at risk of losing his leadership before the T20 World Cup in June due to his poor performance in PSL 9.
The Green Shirts are also looking for a head coach after Grant Bradburn resigned after the board transferred him to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore due to a change in senior officials’ portfolios. The PCB reportedly sought former New Zealand wicket-keeper batsman Luke Ronchi to coach the national team a day earlier. The team’s captaincy is uncertain as they prepare for a home T20I series against New Zealand, away T20I series against Ireland and England, and the T20I World Cup.