Babar Azam Might Lose Captaincy If This Won't Happen

Babar Azam's tenure as team captain has been subject to significant scrutiny after Pakistan's World Cup defeat at the hands of Afghanistan.

Oct 25, 2023 - 08:16 Updated: Oct 25, 2023 - 08:16

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Babar Azam Might Lose Captaincy If This Won't Happen

Pakistani captain Babar Azam's position is reportedly in jeopardy, according to the most recent information gathered by PTI. Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi are the leading candidates for the position, and the team will have a divided captaincy.

Babar Azam's tenure as team captain has been subject to significant scrutiny subsequent to Pakistan's World Cup defeat at the hands of Afghanistan. The PCB is unimpressed with his leadership abilities, and the team may elect a new leader following the conclusion of the tournament.

The prospects for Pakistan to advance to the semi-finals appear bleak. Babar Azam's leadership has been subpar, as his team has suffered consecutive defeats to Afghanistan, India, and Australia. Additionally, due to the intense competition for fourth place, they must win the remaining games despite the fact that their confidence is likely to be low.

According to a PCB-affiliated source, Babar Azam's continued captaincy is contingent on Pakistan advancing to the semi-finals. He further stated that even after that, his position as white-ball captain remains uncertain, as he could be removed.

The source further disclosed that PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf rejected veteran recommendations for Mohammad Hafeez and Misbah-ul-Haq when assembling the squad for the ICC World Cup 2023, as Babar Azam did not want any changes to the squad. He explained to PTI the following:

"Babar's continued captaincy in the World Cup is contingent upon Pakistan performing a miraculous feat by winning all their remaining matches in order to qualify for the semifinals; even then, he may be relegated to the role in the red ball format."

"Instead of seeking the counsel of Misbah, Hafeez, and several other former players, Zaka Ashraf, the chairman of the PCB, disregarded Babar's adamant refusal to make any changes to the team prior to the World Cup."

Pakistan to have new coaching staff and captain after World Cup: Reports

Additionally, the source disclosed that Sarfaraz Ahmed is vying for the Test and ODI captaincy once more. Despite leading Pakistan to a 2017 Champions Trophy victory, the keeper-batsman has never participated in a white-ball setup. Moreover, he stated that Shaheen Afridi could potentially be appointed T20I captain.

In addition to this, he stated that for the Australia series, both the coaching and support personnel will be replaced. His further statement was:

"Sarfaraz could be selected to captain the Test and ODI teams once more, whereas Shaheen could be considered for the T20 captaincy." There is a high probability that Pakistan will appoint a fresh coaching staff and captain in time for the white ball series in New Zealand and the Test tour of Australia following the World Cup.