LAHORE- Pakistan skipper Babar Azam is under radar as Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) started mulling the options to relieve him of his current position, the sources privy to the development said on Wednesday.
The move followed Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, where they failed to advance to the semi-finals due to subpar displays in batting, bowling, and fielding.
Babar Azam is set to meet with PCB Management Committee Chairman Zaka Ashraf later today, with an announcement regarding his captaincy expected after the meeting.
The sources said that if Babar chooses to tender his resignation, the board would accept it; otherwise, the PCB would take the step to remove him from the post.
“Shan Masood may be the next option to lead the national cricket team,” said the sources, adding that he would lead Pakistan team against Australia in the upcoming Test series next month if he is appointed as the captain.
They stated that Shaheen Shah Afridi is being considered for the T20I series in New Zealand. There are also indications that Shaheen may lead the team in the T20 World Cup next year.
Babar Azam took over as the white-ball captain in 2019 and assumed the role of Test skipper in 2021. However, the Pakistan team has not secured any ICC or Asia Cup titles under his leadership.
Despite entering the World Cup as the top-ranked side, Pakistan failed to meet expectations, exiting the tournament during the group stage. Following the team’s disappointing performance, Mickey Arthur, the team’s director, expressed support for the “depressed” Babar, emphasizing that making mistakes is not a “crime”.
