Race for Pakistan’s next white-ball captain after Babar Azam’s resignation

Following star batter Babar Azam’s recent resignation as Pakistan’s white-ball captain, speculation is growing about who will step into the role next. Leading candidates include Test vice-captain Saud Shakeel, explosive opener Fakhar Zaman, and all-rounder Salman Ali Agha.

Reports suggest that wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and fast bowler Shaheen Afridi are less likely to be considered, despite their leadership experience in other formats.

Saud Shakeel, who recently replaced Rizwan as Test vice-captain during Pakistan’s series against Bangladesh, is a strong candidate.

Fakhar Zaman, with his experience captaining Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), is also in the running. However, Salman Ali Agha, who has yet to captain a team at the domestic level, is the least experienced of the three.

This leadership change comes after Babar Azam stepped down as captain across all formats last November following Pakistan’s disappointing World Cup performance.

In the interim, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed Shaheen Afridi as the T20 captain and Shan Masood as the Test captain. Babar briefly returned as white-ball captain in March, but his latest resignation has reopened the search for a new leader.

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