'It is time for...': Babar Azam steps down as Pakistan's white-ball captain for second time in a year

Star batter Babar Azam has announced that he will step down as the white-ball captain of the Pakistan cricket team to "prioritise" his performance. Pakistan has not won a major tournament during Babar's tenure as captain, which began in 2019. Last year, under his leadership, Pakistan was eliminated from the Asia Cup in the Super 4 stage after a two-wicket defeat by Sri Lanka in Colombo.

A few months later, Pakistan's struggles continued as they failed to reach the knockout stage of the ODI World Cup in India.

Following the conclusion of the World Cup, Babar resigned from the captaincy in all formats. Shaheen Shah Afridi was appointed as the T20I captain but was removed after just one series, in which Pakistan lost 4-1 to New Zealand.

Babar was subsequently reinstated as the white-ball captain, while Shan Masood remained the Test captain.

In a statement on his official X account, Babar expressed that it had been an honour to lead the Pakistan men's cricket team.

October 1, 2024

He stated that stepping down from the captaincy would give him clarity and allow him to focus on his personal growth and performance.

"Dear Fans, I'm sharing some news with you today. 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. It's been an honour to lead this team, but it's time for me to step down and focus on my playing role. Captaincy has been a rewarding experience, but it's added a significant workload. I want to prioritise my performance, enjoy my batting, and spend quality time with my family, which brings me joy. By stepping down, I will gain clarity moving forward and focus more energy on my game and personal growth. I'm grateful for your unwavering support and belief in me. Your enthusiasm has meant the world to me. I'm proud of what we've achieved together and excited to continue contributing to the team as a player. Thank you for your love and support," Babar wrote on X.

Babar made his Test debut in 2016 against the West Indies and has since played 54 matches, scoring 3,962 runs at a strike rate of 54.63. He played his first ODI in 2015 against Zimbabwe, featuring in 117 matches and scoring 5,729 runs at a strike rate of 88.75.

Since debuting in T20Is in 2016 against England, Babar has played 123 matches, amassing 4,145 runs at a strike rate of 129.08. In the T20 World Cup 2024, Pakistan suffered a disappointing campaign, losing their opening match to co-hosts USA on a tricky surface in New York. This surprise defeat proved crucial as they failed to progress beyond the group stage.

In the coming days, Pakistan will face England in a three-match Test series on home soil.

The first Test will begin on October 7 in Multan, followed by the second Test on October 15, also in Multan. The final Test will be held in Rawalpindi from October 24 to 28.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from ANI)