Babar Azam set to return as national team’s skipper

• Babar Azam is set to reassume captaincy role.
• PCB has at last decided to reinstate Azam.
• He stepped down from captaincy last year in November.

Babar Azam is reportedly poised to reassume his role as the captain of the Pakistan cricket team in the forthcoming T20I series against New Zealand on home ground, as per sources.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has at last decided to reinstate Azam, who had relinquished his captaincy across all formats in November of the previous year.

The recommendation from the selection committee led to the decision to reinstate Azam as captain.

In the meantime, Shaheen was contemplating resigning as T20I captain following this development. However, sources close to the fast bowler have advised him not to do so, as the appointment of the captain is the prerogative of the cricket board and he should accept whatever decision the PCB makes.

It’s worth noting that Shaheen succeeded Azam as the T20I cricket captain and Shan Masood in Tests last year.

This development follows the PCB’s statement that it will decide on Shaheen’s future as the T20I team’s captain after the ongoing fitness camp in Kakul, which is set to end on April 8.

At a press conference following the announcement of the selection committee on March 24, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi didn’t elaborate much on Shaheen’s future as captain.

“Even I don’t know who the captain will be,” Naqvi said. “Whether Shaheen continues or a new captain comes in will be determined after the fitness camp [starting on Monday].

“There are a number of technical factors we will consider, the details of which I do not want to go into. We want a long-term solution, whether it’s Shaheen or a new man. And then we intend to stick by that man, instead of just changing a captain just because you lose a match or captain,” he added.

Azam stepped down from his long-standing position as the national team’s captain across all formats in November, following a disappointing World Cup campaign.

The former captain faced criticism for several months after Pakistan’s lackluster performance in the Asia Cup, which carried over into the World Cup — where they were eliminated before reaching the semi-finals.

Azam was initially appointed as the white-ball captain in 2019 and as the Test captain in 2020, but the Green Shirts have not secured any ICC or Asia Cup titles under his leadership.

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