Pakistan cricket sensation Babar Azam has reportedly expressed his desire to reclaim the captaincy across all three formats, following his outstanding performance in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season nine. After scoring the most runs in the tournament, Babar Azam has approached the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) with his request, as reported by ESPN Cricinfo.
Earlier, Babar was appointed as the T20I captain, replacing Shaheen Shah Afridi, just after one series against New Zealand in January, ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup. However, the 29-year-old has yet to respond to the PCB’s offer.
Following the conclusion of the ICC World Cup 2023, Babar was removed from the captaincy across all formats. Shaheen Afridi took over the T20I captaincy, while Shan Masood was appointed Test captain, with no ODI captain announced.
In response to the PCB’s request for him to lead the team in the World Cup, Babar has set his terms, demanding to be reinstated as captain across all formats. ESPN Cricinfo reports that Babar will not even consider the offer unless his conditions are met.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi stated in a press conference that he is unaware of who will captain the team in the World Cup. Naqvi’s comments have sparked speculation, suggesting that Shaheen Afridi may be removed as T20I captain.
Naqvi emphasized the PCB’s intention to find a long-term solution for the captaincy, focusing on stability rather than frequent changes. However, if Babar’s condition is accepted, Shan Masood will have to step down as Test captain after leading the team in just one series against Australia in December 2023.
Despite captaining Pakistan in five international tournaments, including T20 World Cups and Asia Cups, Babar Azam has not led the team to victory in any ICC or Asia Cup competitions.