Babar Azam had stepped down as captain from all three formats soon after Pakistan’s early exit from the 2023 ODI World Cup but PCB reportedly wants him to return to the leadership role.
Pakistan cricket looks headed towards another shakeup months after Babar Azam stunningly stepped down from the role of captaincy across formats. As per several reports, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is trying to convince Babar to return to captaincy across formats after losing faith in Shaheen Afridi.
Notably, PCB had named Shan Masood as Pakistan Test captain right before the challenging tour of Australia last December and handed over the reins of T20I squad to 22-year-old Afridi hoping the young fast bowler will adapt to the challenge.
However, as per a report in news agency IANS, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi along with the national selectors are set to meet with Babar and convince him to take the captaincy slot in all formats for the national cricket team.
The Pakistan cricket team is currently training at the military academy Kakul in Abbottabad.
PCB hopes Babar will take up the role of captain for T20Is and all other formats, replacing the current captain Afridi with just about two months remaining for the T20 World Cup to start.
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“The decision emerged from a late-night meeting between Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi and the selectors,” a source was quoted as saying by IANS.
While PCB want Babar to takeover till the T20 World Cup, the star batter is more interested in entering into a long-term position as captain, which should not be limited till the showpiece event.
“Babar has already communicated to the PCB that he wishes to lead the national team across all formats and has kept it as a pre-condition to consider captaincy in the T20I format,” the source revealed.
Sources close to the star batter have also advised Babar to push his demands in front of the PCB as this is the right time.
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“PCB is vulnerable right now. They want Babar for the T20I World Cup. And they would have to agree with his demands because of the board’s vulnerable position,” said the source.
While the PCB selectors are discussing the next T20I captain and reaching out to Babar Azam; the current captain Shaheen Shah Afridi has been kept in the dark on the PCB decision.
“There is a clear lack of communication between the PCB and Shaheen Shah Afridi, which is concerning. None of the selectors nor the PCB Chairman himself have reached out to Shaheen Shah Afridi in refence to the ongoing discussion about his replacement,” the source added.
But the news about a probable change has raised eyebrows among many, who have criticised the PCB for being silent on the matter and letting rumours and speculations take up the space in debates.
Former cricketer Shahid Afridi has said that it would be unfair to remove Shaheen Shah Afridi, that also after he lead the team in only one series.
Shaheen Afridi has been actively gearing up for the upcoming World Cup and has played pivotal role in convincing Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir to return to international cricket and take back their retirements.
It was said that Shaheen had reached out to both the cricketers and bring them back into the squad to enhance national team’s performance.
But the way Shaheen has been kept in the dark about his probable replacement from the captaincy position has certainly raised questions over the working mechanisms of the PCB.
With IANS Inputs
