Babar Azam, one of the most prolific batters in Pakistan, has stepped down from the white-ball captaincy, ending a tenure that saw highs and lows both for him and the team. Announcing his decision on Tuesday, Babar revealed that his choice to resign was driven by a desire to prioritize his performance as a player and find balance in his personal life.
“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,” Babar stated on X (formerly known as Twitter). He elaborated that while captaincy had been a rewarding experience, it came with a significant workload that impacted his ability to enjoy his game. “I want to prioritize my performance, enjoy my batting, and spend quality time with my family, which brings me joy.”
Babar’s decision to relinquish the captaincy comes just six months after being reappointed as Pakistan’s ODI and T20I skipper by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). His initial resignation from all-format captaincy came after Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the 50-over World Cup in India last November, where the team failed to make it past the group stage.
In the aftermath of the World Cup debacle, Shaheen Afridi briefly took over the T20 captaincy but was removed after Pakistan’s crushing 4-1 series loss to New Zealand. Pakistan have not played an ODI since the conclusion of the World Cup, leaving the leadership void for white-ball formats in limbo until now.
Despite being reappointed as captain earlier this year, Babar’s return to the leadership role saw limited success. Under his leadership, Pakistan won a bilateral series against Ireland 2-1 but struggled against more formidable opposition. They drew a T20 series against New Zealand 2-2 and suffered a 2-0 defeat to England ahead of the T20 World Cup. Pakistan’s early exit from the tournament, after a shocking loss to co-hosts the United States and arch-rivals India, raised further questions about the direction of the team under Babar’s captaincy.
Here’s how fans reacted to Babar stepping down from the role:
On a personal level, Babar’s form in Test cricket has come under scrutiny, with the star batter failing to score a half-century in his last 16 innings. However, in domestic competitions, he showed glimpses of his brilliance, scoring a century for Stallions in the Champions Cup One-Day Tournament, where he finished as the fourth-highest run-scorer with 230 runs in four matches, though playing under the captaincy of Mohammad Haris.
Babar led Pakistan in 43 ODIs, securing 26 wins and 15 losses. In T20Is, he captained 85 matches, winning 48 and losing 29. Reflecting on his time as captain, Babar expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to lead Pakistan but acknowledged that it was time for a change. “By stepping down, I will gain clarity moving forward and focus more energy on my game and personal growth,” he concluded.
