Babar Azam resigns from captaincy of Pakistan from all 3 formats.
Babar Azam has made the decision to step down as the captain of Pakistan’s men’s cricket team, effective immediately. The prominent batsman shared this announcement via his social media platforms on Wednesday, November 15.
Having taken on the captaincy role in the white-ball formats in 2019 and subsequently in Tests in 2020, Babar led Pakistan in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, which is currently in its semifinal stage. However, his captaincy and strategic decisions faced intense scrutiny during the tournament, creating speculation about the security of his position. Pakistan concluded the round-robin stage in fifth place out of 10 teams, securing four wins from nine matches but falling short of advancing to the knockout rounds.
Babar conveyed his decision through a statement on X (formerly Twitter), expressing his commitment to continuing to represent Pakistan across formats. He also offered his support to the next captain who will lead the team.
During his captaincy tenure, Babar led Pakistan in 71 T20Is, 43 ODIs, and 20 Tests. Under his guidance, Pakistan reached the semifinals of the T20 World Cup in 2021 and progressed to the final in 2022. Additionally, the team achieved the top position in the ICC ODI Rankings earlier this year, showcasing notable accomplishments under Babar’s leadership.