PCB to decide on captaincy, says skipper Babar after exit from WC

Pakistan white-ball skipper Babar Azam has expressed his willingness to make a decision about his future as captain only after a thorough review with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after significant scrutiny following the team’s early exit from T20 World Cup 2024.

Pakistan ended their World Cup campaign with a victory over Ireland after losing back-to-back matches against India and the USA earlier. Pakistan finished in the third position with four points in Group A, India with seven points and USA with five points progressed to the Super Eight stage.

“When I gave up the captaincy (in 2023), I thought that I shouldn’t be doing it now, that’s why I left it and I announced it myself,” Babar said at the post-match press conference.

“Then when they gave it back to me, it was the decision of the PCB. When I go back, we will discuss all that has happened here. And if I have to leave the captaincy, I will announce it openly. I will not hide behind anything. Whatever happens will happen in the open. But for now, I have not thought about it. It is eventually PCB’s decision,” he said.

Babar, facing repeated inquiries about taking responsibility for the team’s performance, emphasised the collective nature of their failure.

“I told you that we did not lose this because of one particular person. We win and lose as a team. You are pointing out that [I am] the captain, but I cannot play in every player’s place. There are 11 players, and each of them has a role. That’s why they came here to play the World Cup.”

Reflecting on the team’s underwhelming performance, Babar acknowledged their shortcomings.

“We accept that we didn’t play according to the expectations. The kind of team we had, the experience we had, we haven’t been able to deliver at different times.

“As a player and as a captain, I am not going to single (anyone) out. The fault lies with all 15. We will sit and review.

“As a captain, my responsibility is to give my feedback to the decision-makers.” When pressed further about who should bear the blame; captain, coach, or selectors, Babar said, “You can’t put the blame on one person. We didn’t play well as a team. We did well in patches. Everybody is disappointed. We are as disappointed as the fans. It is not one individual’s fault.”

Meanwhile, Babar and five other players including Mohammad Amir, Imad Wasim, Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan, and Azam Khan have decided to spend their holidays in London before returning to Pakistan after their disastrous T20 World Cup campaign.

The six players will not land in Pakistan with the rest of the squad on Tuesday. The above-mentioned players plan to spend time with friends and family in London. Some are also thinking about playing in local leagues in the United Kingdom, according to a report in The Express Tribune.

Meanwhile, head coach Gary Kirsten and assistant coach Azhar Mahmood will head to their respective homes. With no immediate engagements on the horizon, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has permitted the coaching staff to return to their countries, the report added.

Pakistan had a terrible outing in Group A of the ongoing T20 World Cup which ended with a narrow three-wicket win against Ireland on Sunday in their last fixture.

They suffered defeats against co-hosts USA, and arch-rivals India before defeating Canada by seven wickets. With four points in as many games, Pakistan finished third in their group and missed the Super Eight berth with India and USA sealing their spots after the top two finish.

Agencies