Babar Azam reappointed as white-ball captain

Babar Azam has been reappointed by The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as the national team’s captain for T20I and one-day internationals (ODIs).

“Babar Azam appointed as white-ball captain,” the PCB announced on Sunday in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

“Following unanimous recommendation from the PCB’s selection committee, Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi has appointed Babar Azam as white-ball (ODI and T20I) captain of the Pakistan men’s cricket team.”

Babar Azam had stepped down from the post in November last year following Pakistan’s dismal show in the Asia Cup and the 50-over World Cup. 

According to a source close to the situation, many in PCB believed that the organisation made a mistake by not keeping Shaheen in the loop over captaincy and by just informing the pacer about its decision to bring Babar back as skipper.

PCB appointed Shaheen Shah Afridi as the T20 captain and Shan Masood as the team’s Test skipper after Babar stepped down.

“As both Shaheen and Babar have not been on one page for the last few months, the decision to appoint Babar without taking Shaheen into confidence may affect the unity within the national team as the fast bowler also has a good number of players supporting him,” the source added.