LAHORE, 1st Apr 2024: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced Babar Azam as the new white-ball captain of the Pakistan men’s national cricket team.
Babar has already led Pakistan in 43 ODIs and 71 T20Is between 2019 and 2023. In a strategic move aimed at ensuring player well-being and peak performance, the board overhauled the white-ball leadership. Babar, renowned for his brilliant batting record in international cricket will take over the captaincy from Shaheen Shah Afridi.
While Shaheen Afridi has undeniably proven himself as a star fast bowler, leading Pakistan’s pace attack over the years, the board recognises the importance of rotation and rest to maintain his peak performance. This decision aligns with the board’s commitment to safeguarding the longevity of the players, especially fast bowlers given their injury timelines in the past two years.
Keeping in mind workload management, this decision is to ensure Pakistan’s main bowlers remain at the top of their game. The board does not want the national men’s team to run into an injury crisis concerning bowling resources as seen before the ICC T20 World Cup 2022, where Shaheen had to be closely looked after and ICC ODI Cricket World Cup 2023, where the team didn’t have the services of Naseem Shah.
Sharing his views, outgoing Pakistan cricket team captain Shaheen Shah Afridi said: “It was an absolute honour to captain the Pakistan national cricket team. I will always cherish the memories and the opportunity. As a team player, it is my duty to back our captain, Babar Azam. I have played under his captaincy and have nothing but respect for him. I will try to help him on and off the field. We are all one. Our aim is the same, to help Pakistan become the best team in the world.”
Reference Link: https://www.nation.com.pk/01-Apr-2024/pcb-appoints-babar-azam-as-pakistan-s-new-white-ball-captain