In a surprising turn of events, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reinstated Babar Azam as the captain for both ODI and T20I formats, reversing their previous decision to remove him from the role. Babar had voluntarily stepped down following Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup, with Shan Masood taking over the Test captaincy and Shaheen Afridi leading the T20I side.
Babar Azam back at the helm 👀
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— ICC (@ICC) March 31, 2024
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After a meeting between Babar and PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, the suspense surrounding the captaincy has finally been resolved. The PCB announced Babar’s appointment as the white-ball captain, based on unanimous recommendation from the selection committee, putting an end to the speculation.
The PCB’s announcement confirms that Shan Masood will retain the Test captaincy.
There were previous speculations in the media suggesting that Babar Azam might only consider returning to the captaincy if he were given leadership responsibilities across all formats. However, the recent decision by the PCB indicates that Babar has agreed to resume the captaincy specifically for ODI and T20I formats, while Shan Masood continues to lead the Test side.
Furthermore, reports have emerged indicating that Shaheen Afridi was not informed about the discussions within the PCB regarding his removal as the T20I captain.
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According to sources, Shaheen was understandably upset by the lack of communication, considering his role as the national T20 captain. He had expected to be informed of any decisions regarding his captaincy and the reasons behind them.
It’s reported that Shaheen would have been willing to step down from the captaincy had the PCB informed him about their intentions beforehand. However, the lack of communication has left him feeling disappointed and frustrated.
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