After months of speculation, Babar Azam has officially stepped down as the white-ball captain of Pakistan. The 29-year-old made the announcement on Wednesday night through his social media, much to the delight of a large portion of Pakistan cricket fans, who were demanding his resignation ever since T20 World Cup 2024.
Babar Azam’s Announcement
In a candid and emotional statement, Babar explained why he decided to give up the captaincy. “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.”
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“It’s been an honor to lead this team, but it’s time for me to step down and focus on my playing role,” he shared, admitting that the weight of the responsibility had started affecting both his performance and personal life.
“Captaincy has been a rewarding experience, but it’s added a significant workload,” he wrote. “I want to prioritize my performance, enjoy my batting, and spend quality time with my family, which brings me joy.” It’s pretty clear that Babar Azam has finally realized that the major reason behind his below-par batting form is his involvement in leadership role.
He ended his message by thanking his fans, who have stood by him through thick and thin. “I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together and excited to continue contributing to the team as a player.” His words had a certain finality, but also a hint of optimism for the future.
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What’s The Real Reason?
While Babar’s resignation seems like a personal decision, there are rumors that paint a different picture. Sources suggest that this move wasn’t entirely voluntary. Word is that Babar wasn’t forced out, but white-ball coach Gary Kirsten wanted him to stay on as ODI captain only.
There was talk about making a change in T20 leadership after Pakistan’s disastrous T20 World Cup campaign. Apparently, Kirsten even brought up captaincy changes during a meeting in July when he presented his T20 World Cup report. Despite his efforts to keep Babar as ODI captain, Babar reportedly started feeling a disconnect with the team.
After the World Cup, communication between Babar and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reportedly became sparse, only adding to his growing sense of isolation. Sources say Babar wasn’t included in key decisions after the tournament, which likely pushed him closer to stepping down.
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A Look At Babar Azam’s Second Tenure
Babar’s second run as Pakistan’s white-ball captain was even worse then his first one. He only captained in T20I matches during this tenure but Pakistan cricket team suffered historic losses under him.
In his first series, Pakistan managed to draw a home series against a second-string New Zealand team. After that, during their tour of Ireland, Pakistan faced a historic loss in their first-ever T20I against the Irish, though they managed to win the series 2-1.
Things took a turn for the worse after that. Pakistan lost a T20I series 2-0 against England, and their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign was nothing short of a disaster. In the World Cup, Pakistan crashed out during the group stages after suffering a shock defeat to the USA and a heartbreaking loss to India.
Now that Babar Azam has stepped aside, the big question is: who’s going to lead the team? With the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and other major tournaments coming up, Pakistan needs a strong leader to step up and take the reins.
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