Star batsman Babar Azam was again named Pakistan white-ball captain on Sunday, two months away from the T20 World Cup. Babar replaces fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi as T20 captain. The pacer was removed after Pakistan lost a 4-1 series against New Zealand in January. The decision to reinstate Babar was taken following the unanimous recommendation of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) selection committee.

“On the unanimous recommendation of the PCB Selection Committee, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has appointed Babar Azam as the white-ball (ODI and T20I) captain of the Pakistan men’s cricket team,” the PCB said in a media release.

Babar is said to have met PCB chief Naqvi in ​​Lahore recently to seek assurances on his tenure and asked to be appointed captain of the Test team.

However, reliable sources within the PCB revealed that Naqvi clarified the board’s stance stating that while Babar will be duly qualified for the white-ball matches, the decision on Test captaincy will be taken later.

Shan Masood currently leads the red team.

“Naqvi made it clear to Babar that the PCB will decide on the Test captain after appointing a red-ball foreign coach and Pakistan has no Test commitments ahead of the World Cup,” the source added.

Babar resigned from the captaincy of all three formats after a disappointing performance in the ODI World Cup in India in November last year.

He gave up his role after then PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf told him that he would no longer captain the team in white-ball games and would only lead the Test team.

Pakistan Cricket = Peak Entertainment.

– Babar Azam resigned as captain.

– Shaheen as T20I captain and Shan Masood as Test captain.

– Shaheen led the team to only 5 wins in T20Is and struggled in the PSL.

– Now, Babar Azam has been appointed as the captain for T20I and ODI again. pic.twitter.com/BBq6Xn2nQq

——Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) March 31, 2024

Under Babar’s leadership, Pakistan reached the finals of the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. The latest edition of the big event will begin on June 1 in the United States and the West Indies.

Sources said the news was made on Saturday evening and that Mohammad Yusuf, Asad Shafiq, Wahab Riaz, Abdul Razak and Bilal Af Zal and other electors made the announcement after they met Shaheen at the Kakul training camp and told him that they wanted him to focus on his work. bowling and thought it would be better for the batsman to lead the white-ball team.

Insiders revealed that Shaheen accepted the change without much protest, but noted that it would be unfair for him to be judged on just one show.

According to sources, Shaheen was unable to effectively lead the Lahore Qalandars team in the Pakistan Super League, resulting in the team being at the bottom. Coupled with his own inconsistent performance, it was the key factor that influenced his decision to make substitutions.

“The PCB chairman has made it clear to the selectors that they have to decide who should be captain and said they will be responsible for the future performance of the national team,” the source added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)