PCB reappoints Babar Azam as Pakistan's ODI and T20 captain

Tariq Butt, Correspondent

Star cricketer Babar Azam has been reappointed as the captain for the white-ball matches, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Sunday.
In a post on social media platform X, the PCB said, "Babar Azam appointed as white-ball captain.”

It said the decision was made following a "unanimous recommendation” from the PCB’s selection committee and its chairman Mohsin Naqvi. The PCB also shared a video clip from a meeting between Babar and Naqvi.

The decision to change the team's skipper comes ahead of the Green Shirt's five-match T20I series against New Zealand which will begin from April 18.

The 29-year-old batter was removed from all formats of captaincy in November last year after the humiliating World Cup campaign, ending his years-long stint in the leading position.

Before his removal, the former skipper was under fire for several months after Pakistan failed to perform in the Asia Cup and continued the same momentum into the World Cup - where they crashed out before reaching the semis.

Azam was previously appointed white-ball captain in 2019 and as Test skipper in 2020, but the Green Shirts have not won any ICC or Asia Cup titles under his leadership.

The PCB under Chairman Zaka Ashraf appointed Shaheen Shah Afridi as white-ball captain after the team’s drubbing in the ICC World Cup 2023. Shan Masood was given the red-ball captaincy by the previous management.

Azam has played 52 Tests, 117 ODIs and 109 T20Is for the national side. He has lead 71 T20 matches including T20 World Cup as the team's captain. Under his leadership, the Men in Green won 42 matches and lost 23 matches.