Babar Azam quits as Pakistan's white-ball captain

Babar Azam has quit as Pakistan's white-ball captain, with the batter taking to X (formerly Twitter) to make the announcement in the early hours of October 2 (Wednesday). He was initially stripped of his captaincy after Pakistan's poor show in the 2023 ODI World Cup, but after three months, he was reappointed as skipper of the side in March 2024.

However, things did not go to plan in his second stint as well, as Pakistan suffered a Super Over loss at the hands of associate side USA and also were beaten by arch-rivals India, as they failed to progress to the Super 8s. 

"Dear Fans, I'm sharing some news with you today. I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men's cricket team, effective as of my notification to the PCB and Team Management last month," Babar wrote on social media.

"It's been an honour to lead this team, but it's time for me to step down and focus on my playing role. Captaincy has been a rewarding experience, but it's added a significant workload. I want to prioritise my performance, enjoy my batting, and spend quality time with my family, which brings me joy."

"By stepping down, I will gain clarity moving forward and focus more energy on my game and personal growth. I'm grateful for your unwavering support and belief in me. Your enthusiasm has meant the world to me. I'm proud of what we've achieved together and excited to continue contributing to the team as a player. Thank you for your love and support."

Babar lost the Test captaincy to Shan Masood, under whom Pakistan suffered a 3-0 loss in Australia, and more recently, they were blanked 2-0 by Bangladesh at home. Safe to say, things aren't well with Pakistan cricket.

As far as their upcoming white-ball series is concerned, they tour Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. It is unclear as to who will lead Pakistan, but Shaheen Afridi took over the reins from Babar last time, although briefly, and is certainly one of the hot candidates to take over the job. Babar was not named captain in the recently concluded revamped five-team Champions One-Day Cup, as well.

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