Pakistan cricketer Babar Azam is poised to return as the national team’s T20 captain after the newly established selection committee advised replacing the skipper, sources told Geo News on Friday.
Babar, who stepped down as Pakistan captain last year, will take charge of the next five-match T20I series against New Zealand, according to reports.
Following the team’s defeat in the ICC World Cup 2023, the cricket body, chaired by Zaka Ashraf, named Shaheen Shah Afridi as white-ball captain. Shan Masood, on the other hand, was named captain of the red ball team.
According to sources, the selection committee unanimously advised PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi that Babar Azam should be named captain of the T20 cricket team, and the 29-year-old will attend the Kakul training camp as captain.
Meanwhile, Shaheen considered standing down as T20I captain following the development. However, sources close to the pacer have cautioned him against it, stating that naming captain is the cricket board’s prerogative, and he should accept whatever decision the PCB makes.
In November last year, following a humiliating World Cup campaign, Babar stood down as the national team’s captain in all formats, bringing an end to his years-long reign.
The former captain faced criticism for several months after Pakistan failed to perform well in the Asia Cup and carried that momentum into the World Cup, where they were eliminated before reaching the semi-finals.
Babar was earlier named white-ball captain in 2019 and Test captain in 2020, however the Green Shirts have not won an ICC or Asia Cup trophy under his leadership.
Meanwhile, according to insiders, the cricket board has chosen to select different coaches for white-ball and red-ball cricket, and the process of appointing them is nearing completion.
According to sources, South African coach Gary Kirsten and Australian coach Jason Gillespie will be appointed for white-ball cricket and red-ball cricket, respectively.
According to the sources, discussions with both coaches are underway about a variety of subjects, including sports staff and domestic coaches. They also stated that Gillespie may take over the obligations during Kirsten’s other engagements.
