File photo of Pakistan star Babar Azam© AFP
Babar Azam, in a late night post on Tuesday, announced that he is stepping down from his role as the white-ball captain of the Pakistan cricket team. Babar Azam was earlier the all-format skipper of Pakistan. He stepped down previously as captain after Pakistan's poor show at the 2023 ODI World Cup in India. Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi succeeded him as the T20I captain but was soon replaced by Babar, who was reappointed as the skipper in March 2024.
However, his second tenure as the Pakistan captain was not successful at all as the side was knocked out of the groups stage at the 2024 T20 World Cup. That campaign saw Pakistan losing to USA, a much lower-ranked team. Pakistan even lost to India, despite being in a comfortable position in the match.
The pressure has been mounting on Pakistan cricket in recent months, especially after their loss to Bangladesh in a Test series at home.
Here's the full text of Babar Azam's retirement post on X:
"Dear Fans,
"I'm sharing some news with you today. I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men's cricket team, effective as of my notification to the PCB and Team Management last month.
"It's been an honour to lead this team, but it's time for me to step down and focus on my playing role.
"Captaincy has been a rewarding experience, but it's added a significant workload. I want to prioritize my performance, enjoy my batting, and spend quality time with my family, which brings me joy.
— Babar Azam (@babarazam258) October 1, 2024Dear Fans,
I'm sharing some news with you today. I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men's cricket team, effective as of my notification to the PCB and Team Management last month.
It's been an honour to lead this team, but it's time for me to step down and focus…
"By stepping down, I will gain clarity moving forward and focus more energy on my game and personal growth. I'm grateful for your unwavering support and belief in me. Your enthusiasm has meant the world to me.
"I'm proud of what we've achieved together and excited to continue contributing to the team as a player.
Thank you for your love and support."