Lahore: Babar Azam has resigned as captain of Pakistan in all formats.
Pakistan failed to qualify for the semifinals of the ODI World Cup, losing 5 of their 9 round-robin league fixtures.
“I vividly remember the moment when I received the call from PCB to lead Pakistan in 2019. Over the past four years, I’ve experienced many highs and lows on and off the field, but I wholeheartedly and passionately aimed to maintain Pakistan’s pride and respect in the cricket world. Reaching the No. 1 spot in the white-ball format was a result of the collective efforts of players, coaches, and management, but I’d like to express my gratitude to passionate Pakistan cricket fans for their unwavering support during this journey,” Babar said in a statement.
“Today, I am stepping down as the captain of Pakistan in all formats. It’s a difficult decision but I feel it is a right time for this call. I will continue to represent Pakistan as a player in all three formats. I am here to support the new captain and the team with my experience and dedication. I want to express my sincere thanks to the Pakistan Cricket Board for entrusting me with this significant responsibility.”
There had been speculation about his future as skipper as Babar failed to lead from the front, scoring 320 runs at an average of 40 and strike rate of 82.90.
Pakistan will have to decide on the new captain soon as the team is due to leave for Australia end of the month for a three-Test series, followed by 5 T20 Internationals in New Zealand.
